The North Otago Yacht and Power Boat Club is sponsoring 13-year-olds Ethan Wilson and Celton Doughty, and 14-year-olds Alex Murdoch, Emma Gawn, Lucy Crabbe and Zoe Orme.
They have been practising hard for the event in three Sunburst yachts - one owned by the club and two privately owned which they will use at next week's championships.
Vice-commodore Kevin Murdoch said the club about two years ago looked at ways to boost its youth yachting. Then it had three young people involved, now it has more than 20 some evenings, ranging in age from 8 to 15. The programme runs throughout daylight saving, sailing on the Oamaru harbour. Youths get to sail in Sunbursts, Optimus, a trailer yacht and Flying Fifteen yachts, as well as privately-owned catamarans.
Mr Murdoch said, as a result, the club was able to sponsor six of its young yachties for next week's championships on the Otago Harbour, run by the Ravensbourne Boat Club.
The event last year had 51 yachts and more than 100 young people competing.
It would be a ''steep learning curve'' for the Oamaru pairings, who had never previously competed at a regatta. Most had just started sailing this season.
The club would send two or three support crew, made up of pupils from Waitaki Boys' and Girls' high schools, able to attend because the event coincided with their ''tourney week''.
