Olympic Sailing 2008 - Yngling Class Sailboats

The 2008 Olympics are coming up fast, and nine classes (plus sailboards) will be competing in this year's Olympic sailing venue at Qingdao. To prepare for the games, we're taking a look at each of the one-design classes featured this year, as well as the Olympians who will be sailing them. Today, the Women's keelboat: The Yngling.

One day in 1967, a proud father named Jan Herman Linge sat down to design a boat for his young son, and he called it "Youngster" - Yngling being the Norwegian word. Today this one-design boat class is the Women's Keelboat for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing (Qingdoao), as well as a worldwide hit with "youngsters" of all ages for its nimble speed. Weighing in at a mere 1,422 pounds, this is a 3-person boat in the Olympics, and an incredible excercise in teamwork.

The conditions in Qingdao are likely to be tricky, and several upsets are possible in many classes, the Yngling being no exception. The teams looking good right now are Great Britain's "Three Blondes in a Boat MkII," with two gold-medalists aboard, as well as the teams from Germany, Russia, and the USA.

Sailing the Yngling at the 2008 Olympics

Women’s Keelboat - Yngling
15 entries confirmed, 45 athletes

Australia - Krystal WEIR, Karyn GOJNICH and Angela FARRELL
Canada - Jennifer PROVAN, Martha HENDERSON and Katie ABBOTT
Finland - Silja LEHTINEN, Maria KLEMETZ and Livia VARESMAA
France - Anne LE HELLEY, Catharine LEPESANT and Julie GERECHT
Germany - Urike SCHUMANN, Ute HOPFER and Julia BLECK
Great Britain - Sarah AYTON, Sarah WEBB and Pippa WILSON
Greece - Sofia BEKATOROU, Sofia PAPADOPOULOU and Virginia KRAVARIOTI
Italy - Calligaris CHIARA, Francesca SCOGNAMILLO and Giulia PIGNOLO
Netherlands - Mandy MULDER, Annemieke BES and Merel WITTEVEEN
Norway - Siren SUNDBY, Alexandra KOEFOED and Lise Birgitte FREDRIKSEN
PR China - Song XIAQUN, Yu YANLI and Li XIAONI
Russia - Ekaterina SKUDINA, Diana KRUTSKIKH and Natalia IVANOVA
South Africa - Dominique PROVOYEUR, Penny ALISON and Kim REW
Spain - Monica AZON, Sandra AZON and Graciela PISONERO
USA - Sally BARKOW, Carrie HOWE and Debbie CAPOZZI

The Yngling

• Crew 2–3
• LOA 20.8’
• Beam: 5'6"
• Draft: 3' 5"
• Hull weight (with fittings): 1422 lb

Read More about sailing Yngling sailboats, or sailing at the Olympics.

• Olympics (all news, photos, boat information, and blogs about sailing at the Olympics)
• Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics - Sailing
• Olympic Goo - Algae Invades Qingdao Sailing Venue
• From the Olympic Sailing Center in China
• Spy Drones, Algae, and Dirty Air - Sailing at the Olympics
• Goo Gone - Sailing Center Cleared of Algae for the Olympics
• Interview with Sarah Mergenthaller of the US Olympic Sailing Team
• Olympic Sailing 2008 - Laser and Laser Radial Sailboats
• Olympic Sailing 2008 - Tornado Class Catamarans
• Olympic Sailing 2008 - Yngling Class Sailboats
• Olympic Sailing 2008 - The Star Class Sailboats
• Olympic Sailing 2008 - The FINN Class Sailboats
• Olympic Sailing 2008 - The 470 Class Sailboats
• Olympic Sailing 2008 - The 49er Class Sailboats
• Sailors in the Spotlight - 2008 Olympic Sailing Teams

• Sailing at the Olympics - Yngling Race Results

Sailing Video: 'Three blondes in a boat' sailing the Yngling in the Olympic Games. Team GB preparing for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.