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Yachting New Zealand is seeking expressions of interest from young sailors aiming to elevate their double-handed sailing through a refreshed 420 youth development programme.
Long regarded as one of the most effective boats for nurturing future champions, the 420 remains a proven platform for developing critical skills in teamwork, boat-handling, and tactical decision-making.
The class has produced several of New Zealand’s top sailing talents, including Seb Menzies and Blake McGlashan, who won world championship gold in 2018 and followed it with youth worlds gold the next year. More recently, Joe Leith and Josh Ferrissey claimed bronze at the 2024 world championships.
Jenny Armstrong, who leads the 420 programme for Yachting New Zealand, believes the class continues to be a valuable stepping stone for ambitious young sailors.
“The 420 builds a solid foundation in double-handed sailing, offering the chance to develop advanced technical and racing skills, while also providing access to strong international competition,” she said.
“The new programme will begin with an initial block of coaching and racing across August and September, culminating in the 2025 New Zealand youth sailing championships. Throughout this phase, sailors will receive structured coaching and support to form a committed squad focused on long-term development and high-performance outcomes.”
The programme is well suited to sailors and parents as an introduction to the basics of double-handed sailing in the 420.
“A second phase of the programme will aim to prepare a national squad for the 2026 420 world championships, with Yachting New Zealand providing lead-up coaching, regatta support and potential integration into the national youth programme,” Armstrong said.
“The class is open to all-girl, all-boy, or mixed crews, and with many skills gained in the 420 directly transferable to Olympic classes such as the 49er, 49erFX, and 470, it is a logical step for those with long-term ambitions in the sport.”
An in-person information session will take place over the weekend of June 14, with further details to be confirmed.
Young sailors interested in taking part are encouraged to register their interest by clicking here.
