The 2014 Youth Olympic Games is on in Nanjing, China in August next year and will feature sailing in the Techno 293 windsurfer and the Byte CII single-handed dinghy for both male and female. To be eligible to participate in the 2014 Youth Olympic Games athletes must have been born between 1 January 1998 and 31 December 1999.

Here’s a look at the up-coming sailing related events around the country for the next couple of weeks. See the YNZ on-line calendar for full details of these events and those on beyond that. Are you organising an event you would like to see included? Don’t miss out on some free promotion for your sailing events by adding them to the YNZ on-line calendar here.

Mid February’s Volvo National Sailing & Boating Day is shaping up to be a nationwide phenomenon. Our What’s happening, and where? page now features close to 40 Clubs from all around the country with details of a wide range of events planned for Sunday February 16th and registrations from Clubs are still being accepted.

On 21 January 1939, 75 years ago, four bach owners met at Gerald Anderson’s place at Paradise Bay to consider the formation of a yacht club on their side of Lyttelton Harbour. The Charteris Bay Yacht Club opened the following weekend on 28 January 1939 and on the 29th January 1939 the first race was sailed under the club’s banner.

It's now known as Ports of Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta, and it is one of the biggest regattas in the world, hosted by 17 different yacht and watersports clubs, the Royal New Zealand Navy, and with events at locations throughout Auckland. For those that don't have a boat, it's an opportunity for a relaxing day watching events unfold on the harbor, and the best viewing locations for landlubbers are Bastion Point, North Head, East Coast Bays, Tamaki Drive, Orakei Wharf, and Princes Wharf.

The 2014 NZL Sailing Team was launched by Yachting New Zealand today at a function in Auckland attended by team supporters and media.

January marks time when the central region will host the Optisail 3-day live-in fun camps at Titahi Bay Boating Club in Wellington 27-28-29 January 2014 and at the New Plymouth Yacht Club 22-23-24 January 2014 and the all new East Coast Juniorsail to be held at the Wairoa Yacht Club 21-22-23 January 2014.

The NZL Sailing Team features strongly in the finalists named for the 51st Westpac Halberg Awards. Two double-handed sailing crews - Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, and Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie – are up against the All Blacks (Rugby), Black Sox (Softball) and Men’s Pair Hamish Bond and Eric Murray (Rowing) for Team of the Year. And Nathan Handley is one of four finalists for Coach of the Year – the others include Eddie Kohlhase (Softball), Guy Wilson (Golf), and Steve Hansen (Rugby).

NEXT MONTH – registration on the 21st January is coming up fast. Have you got your entry in?

With just over 260 days to go until the opening ceremony of the Santander 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships the Notice of Race has been published. Santander will be a hive of sailing activity from 8-21 September 2014 with all ten Olympic events racing for World Championship glory and Olympic qualification.