6th J.M.P.F. JuniorChampion Regatta Nationwide competition for junior sailors

Nationwide competition for junior sailors

The Japan Marine Sports Promotion Foundation organized its 6th J.M.P.F. Junior Champion Regatta at the Yamaha Marina Hamana-ko in Kosai City, Shizuoka Prefecture over four days from March 26 to 29.

This race event is open to aspiring young sailors born in 1980 or later and is competed in two classes, the Mini Hopper (3.43 m) and Sea Hopper SR (4.24m) classes. Both of these Yamaha sailing dinghies are one-person boats that are used widely throughout Japan as entry level sailboats for people new to the sport.
Of these, the Sea Hopper SR in particular is used as the official class boat for junior boys and junior girls sailing competition in the Japanese National Sports Festival and is therefore the boat used by prefectural yachting federations and yacht clubs around the nation, where they are seen as a class leading to high-level competition.

Last year this regatta drew 75 young sailors from as far away as the northern island of Hokkaido and the southern tip of Kyushu, 14 of whom competed in the Mini Hopper class and 61 in the Sea Hopper SR class. Although rain and high winds throughout the event made it tough going for the sailors, they rose to the occasion and showed some aggressive and exciting sailing.

This year applications have been received, as of March 10, from 95 young people from 30 clubs around the country, and the organizers expect to see great competition again this year as the children put their hard-earned skills to the test.
Held during the Japanese school system's Spring vacation, this regatta offers children a chance to test not only their sailing technique but their independence as well, as they meet and interact with students from other parts of the country a new environment.

We hope that the journalists among you will take some time from your busy schedules to cover this exciting youth competition.

Event name:

6th J.M.P.F. Junior Champion Regatta

Dates:

March 26 (Thu.) -29 (Sun.), 1998

Place:

Maricom Tokai Co., Ltd.'s Yamaha Marina Hamana-ko
1380 Iride Aza Chojya, Kosai City, Shizuoka Pref.
Tel. 053-578-0711

Organizer:

Japan Marine Sports Promotion Foundation (J.M.P.F.)

Co-organizer:

Japan Yachting Association

Supervision:

Junior Champion Regatta Committee

Competition classes:

Participants:

Anyone born in or after 1980 and receiving the recommendation of a junior yacht club, prefectural yachting federation, school yachting team, or the Japan Junior Yacht Club Union

Form of competition:

A compiled point competition consisting of seven races held around designated buoys in separate areas for each of the Mini Hopper and Sea Hopper SR classes, with points awarded on the basis of finishing order in each race.

Awards:

Participating clubs: 30

Club name

Mini Hopper Class
participants

Sea Hopper SR Class
participants

Miyagi Pref. Yachting Federation

4

Benibana Sailing (Yamagata Pref. Yachting Federation)

3

Iwaki Junior Yacht Club

1

1

Iwaki Kaisei High School

5

Chiba City Isobe Dai-ichi Junior High School Yachting Club

3

4

Saitama Pref. Yachting Federation

1

JMPF Junior Yacht School Hayama

5

8

Enoshima Junior Yacht Club

3

Kanagawa Youth Yacht Club

1

6

Yamanashi Pref. Yachting Federation

2

Yamanaka-ko Junior-High School Yachting Club

5

Toyama Pref. Yachting Federation

1

JMPF Junior Yacht School Hamana-ko

4

4

Beach's Marina Junior Yacht Club

1

Aichi Pref. Yachting Federation Youth Team

1

Tsu Fleet

1

Mie Pref. Junior Yacht Club

1

Biwa-ko Junior Yachting Club

2

Shiga Pref. Yachting Federation

2

Kyoto Sailing Yacht Club

1

Kyoto Sailing Junior

1

Kagawa Pref. Yachting Federation

4

Clover Leaf Yachting Club

2

Shimane Pref. Yachting Federation

3

Seiko High School Yachting Club

3

Hikari High School Yachting Club

1

Genkai Sailing, Junior Club

5

B & G Tokitsu Kaiyo Club

1

2

Kanaya Kaiyo Sports Club

1

1

Kagoshima Junior Yacht Club

1

23

72

Numbers of the participants

Mini Hopper Class: 23
Sea Hopper SR Class: 72

*The numbers of participated clubs and members are as of March 10, 1998)

Regatta schedule

About the Japan Marine Sports Promotion Foundation

Marine sports are receiving much attention today as a range of activities that men, women and children of all ages can find rewarding forms of participation in the great outdoors in accordance with their own levels of skill and physical strength. The great potential of marine sports as healthful activities for building character in young people has also been recognized.
This foundation was established July of 1992 for the purpose of encouraging the effective development of activities to promote and establish these kinds of marine sports as lifetime recreational opportunities.

Results of the last regatta

5th J.M.P.F. Junior Champion Regatta
At Yamaha Marina Hamana-ko, March 28 to 31, 1996

Top three winners