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3 May 2017
As many as 16 of the country's best young sailors will be chosen to participate in the Pathway to Podium programme, which aims to help talented youngsters win medals at the Olympic, Paralympics or world championships within 10 years.
Already 12 sailors have been chosen for the programme - they all won their respective national titles - and the top boys and girls 29er sailors will be added after their nationals at Kohimarama in June.
Pathway to Podium is a nationwide talent development programme helping emerging athletes (usually in their late teens) and coaches be better prepared for the demands of a life in high performance sport. It's run in partnership between Sport New Zealand, High Performance Sport New Zealand and 14 regional talent hubs around the country.
About 350 pre-elite athletes and 150 coaches from throughout New Zealand are selected to participate each year.
Yachting New Zealand have recognised the value of the programme and believe it helps give talented youngsters the best shot at future success. The athletes receive assistance with such things as performance planning, training regimes, mental skills, strength and conditioning and nutrition.
A number of sailors who have participated in the scheme have gone on to the Aon Fast Track programme, which aims to accelerate the development of youngsters into Olympians.
"We have got some athletes right now who we think will really lift from the Pathway to Podium programme," Yachting New Zealand acting high performance director Ian Neely said. "It will help them to be more professional and focused."
Pathway to Podium "420 Sailors" for 2017/2018
Jonathon Weston - 420
Robbie McCutcheon - 420
Annabel Cave - 420
Xanthe Copeland - 420
Courtney Reynolds-Smith - 470
Brianna Reynolds-Smith - 470
For more information on the Pathway to Podium programme, see here
2017 National champions in the 420 class:
Boys
1st Robbie McCutcheon/Jonathan Weston
2nd Zachary Scheiwe/Benjamin Baynes
3rd Andre van Dam/Fin Georgeson
Girls
1st Xanthe Copeland/Annabel Cave
2nd Ella Gladwell/Alice Haslett
3rd Cara Higinbottom/Jessica Lee
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