The enthusiasm of children looking to participate in the America’s Cup legacy sailing programme Endeavour is palpable, according to Minister for Economic Development Grant Gibbons.

The free community initiative, aimed predominantly at local children between the ages of 9 and 12, is being marked by an Endeavour Day ceremony in St George’s today along with a raft races, events and entertain- ment.

The America’s Cup has invited more than 500 children to mark the official opening of the America’s Cup Endeavour Community Sailing Programme, and each child will have the opportunity to go out on taster sessions on the allocated boats throughout the day.

While all eyes are on the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series Bermuda due to take place this weekend, a historic event for the Island, Dr Gibbons is excited about the legacy the youth programme will have for years to come.

He told The Royal Gazette: “I think we are going to have a terrific legacy programme here. I think about New Zealand after the couple of America’s Cups they have had. Winning the Cup and having the events there really took sailing to another level in New Zealand. Hopefully at some point Bermuda will have some young sailors coming out of this who will participate in some of these teams.

“I have seen the enthusiasm in the younger sailors who are perhaps experiencing this for the first time and they are so excited.

“The programme is absolutely fantastic and is the vision of Sir Russell Coutts. He is very passionate about it and this is the most extensive youth programme the America’s Cup has ever done.”

St George’s officially opens to Endeavour Day at 12pm with a full raft of events to take place, culminating in a performance by Gombey Dancers at 7.20pm.

Following the official opening of the TS Admiral Somers Building, the home of the Sea Cadets and the official home of the Endeavour programme, there will be a number of races that can be viewed from Ordnance Island.

These include the Endeavour race on RS Feva boats, hobies and bics, a Bermuda pilot gig exhibition race and a race in traditional Bermuda fitted dinghies with America’s Cup teams competing against Bermudian sailors.