Thailand has sent a brother and sister sailing team to the Youth Sailing World Championship currently being held in Sanya, China from December 9–16. The best up and coming sailors from 50 nations around the world are taking part in this regatta.
Mikhail Arthit Romanyk (Miki) aged 16 years and Janisara Sasha Romanyk (Sasha) aged 14 years, both from Pattaya, are the only team members to represent the nation at the Championship in the Laser Radial class.
Miki was the Thai National Laser 4.7 champion in 2016 and this is the first time he is representing Thailand at a youth world event. Previously he has competed in the International Laser Class Association (ILCA) world 4.7 class and finished 1st among Asian countries in this event in July this year and 22nd overall out of 123 sailors. The China regatta will be his first event in the Laser Radial class.
Sasha is probably the youngest sailor representing any nation at this event. She has strived to improve her skills in the Laser Radial class, competing and training in Thailand and Greece during the past 12 months.
In the lead up to the event in China, Miki and Sasha received full–on training from Thailand’s Sea Games National Coach, Dimitrios Theorakis, an Olympian athlete in 2016 and an experienced sailor at all levels. Both juniors are honoured and excited to be able to compete under the Thai flag and compete against a fleet of world class Laser sailors.
