Sixteen International juniors confirmed for Renaissance Reinsurance Junior Gold Cup in Bermuda

Ten national champions and the European champion head the group invited to sail against Bermuda’s best Optimist Dinghy sailors. Skipper photos and accomplishments are at http://www.bermudagoldcup.com/content/view/88/48/.

Hamilton, Bermuda (September 29, 2009): The Renaissance Re Junior Gold Cup attracts a spectacular group of young international sailors to compete against Bermuda’s top opti sailors. Bermudians include the top four in Bermuda’s team trials… Mackenzie Cooper, Owen Siese, Dimitri Stevens and Sam Stan. Eighteen young Bermudians in all will compete bringing the fleet to thirty-four competitive sailors.

All overseas Opti sailors have now confirmed their invitations. Of the sixteen confirmed sailors, ten are their nation's champion with a ranking of #1 and thirteen participated in this year’s IODA (International Optimist Dinghy Association) Worlds. Nine of them finished in the top half. Included in this top-notch group is the IODA European Champion and a sailor who placed 3rd in the IODA Worlds.

The three days of Renaissance Re Junior Gold Cup races will be sailed in Optimist Dinghies on Bermuda's Great Sound October 8-10. The final race will be on Hamilton Harbour, Sunday October 11, during an intermission in the Argo Group Gold Cup finals.

The skipper’s ages range from 11-15yrs with 25% of the sailors being girls and we have twelve different nations from North America, South America, Europe, Oceania and the Caribbean represented.

The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club are proud to be able to host this incredibly talented group of children in Bermuda and thank Renaissance Re for making it possible.

The Renaissance Re Junior Gold Cup web pages may be reached by clicking on the icon or through the RenRe Jr Gold Cup menu tab on the Argo Group Gold Cup home page http://www.argogroupgoldcup.com/