Kobe White and Peter Dill come from completely different sporting backgrounds but share a common goal, securing a spot on Bermuda’s Red Bull Youth America’s Cup team.

White is a boxer and Dill a sailor.

The pair, both aged 17, are among the remaining 30 candidates taking part in this week’s final training camp which will determine the 18 athletes who will represent Bermuda in next year’s Red Bull event.

The intense training camps push the athletes to their limits to determine who has the mental and physical endurance required to compete at this level on board the wing-sail foiling AC45F catamaran, which is the racing class for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup.

“They are incredible boats,” Dill said. “I’ve seen them flying around here, but I have never sailed one. I’ve heard that they are quite touchy and tricky to sail, so that’s going to be a huge learning curve but a lot of fun at the same time.”

White experienced a sample of high-performance sailboat racing during this month’s RC44 regatta, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“It was really exciting,” he said. “The experience sailing on that level was fun and knowing that we are going to be sailing in boats bigger and faster than that is amazing.”

Competition for the available spots on Bermuda’s team is fierce as one would expect, given the wonderful opportunity at stake.

“There is that aspect of it and I think everyone has that in the back of their minds,” Dill said. “But the whole idea behind this team is team work and we are all kind of helping each other out and want to create the best team possible. That’s everyone’s mentally; just trying to push each other and try and put together the best team as possible.”

Trying out for the team has not come without sacrifices for team candidates.

“It’s a big commitment and you just have to put aside stuff,” White said. “I have been putting aside going to parties or out with friends and focusing on staying fit and up to par in the gym.

“I knew I needed to keep my fitness at peak level just to stay in the game, and so I have been going boxing, I’ve been training and putting in extra work.”

The Bermuda team’s selection committee’s aim is to identify a squad of the best sailors and athletes capable of competing with the world’s best young sailors.

The final racing team will consist of six squad members, with others supporting as training partners and a shore team.

White is confident that the team chosen to represent Bermuda will make a good account of themselves.

“I think the fact that we have two years to prepare helps and when the time comes we will be ready and will have a say in the America’s Cup,” he said.

As an affiliate of Oracle Team USA, the America’s Cup defender, Team Bermuda has secured an automatic spot in the qualifying series of the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup. Oracle will also help Team Bermuda prepare for the event.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for most of us and the fact that Oracle has decided to help us out is really great for the whole process,” Dill said. “It’s a huge opportunity.”