RISING windsurf stars Izzy Hamilton, of Holsworthy, and Sophie Bailey, of Morwenstow, will be going head-to-head in a bid to land gold at the 2009 RYA Volvo Youth National Championships and Trials at Largs Sailing Club on Scotland's West Coast for five days between Monday 13 and Friday April 17.

Izzy is the defending RYA Youth Nationals RS:X girls champion having romped to an emphatic victory at the 2008 event in Pwllheli, North Wales before going on to represent RYA Team GBR at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships in Denmark where she claimed an impressive debut sixth. Last month the 16-year-old won the Med Cup in Marseilles.

However, Sophie, also 16, is firmly on the comeback trail having missed much of last season, including the Youth Nationals, with a shoulder injury and eased herself back into competition with Bic Techno 7.8 class victory at September's RYA/UKWA National Windsurfing Championships.

She received a significant boost in December when she was honoured with the 2008 OCS Young Sports Person Award for the South West region, in recognition of outstanding potential and commitment.  

As well as acting as the RYA Volvo Youth National Championships, as always the event doubles up as a selection event for the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships, which this year take places in Buzios, Brazil in July. Last year, Great Britain finished top of the ISAF Youth Worlds medal table and claimed the prestigious Volvo Trophy for the top performing nation for the first time since 1996.