Sending Oscar Rorvik and Taylor Burn to the 420 world championships in Austria next month is a community backed campaign that involves a lot of travelling.

The 18-year-old has moved from Tauranga to Picton and is living with Taylor's family to train for the upcoming competition.

Tauranga sailor Oscar Rorvik outside Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club.

He and Taylor are sailing most days, and being driven to Auckland on weekends by Taylor's dad Rob.

They catch the Cook Strait ferry Friday night and sleep in the vehicle while Rob drives to Auckland. They arrive about 8am on Saturday for coaching with Jim Maloney from Yachting New Zealand.

'He has taken a strong interest in us, providing training drills and world class coaching almost every weekend,” says Oscar.

They leave for Wellington Sunday night, to catch the 6am ferry across to Picton, where Oscar goes to work at Waikawa and 16-year-old Taylor goes to school in Blenheim.

Taylor's mum has taken up full time work to help fund the estimated $32,000 campaign and Oscar's mum Talia is also involved in fundraising.

There are raffles, sausage sizzles, a movie night, and letters to businesses in Marlborough and Tauranga.

They have organised a fundraising dinner and auction night with Ralph Roberts, who is a New Zealand Olympic Sailor and Chef de Mission, and now on the Olympic Committee.

Oscar also says they have received a lot of support from yacht club members, both the Queen Charlotte Yacht Club and Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club.

The 420 Association is paying their $500 entry fee for the worlds and is submitting a funding application for a new set of sails, $3200.

Yachting New Zealand is now providing coaching in New Zealand free of charge.

'We consider ourselves lucky as it is a huge bonus,” says Oscar.

'Singapore Airlines have also given us a $500 discount on our airfare each and 35 kilos luggage allowance to cover our sailing gear and sails that we have to take with us.”

Franklins Boat Yard in Waikawa fully support Oscar's sailing commitment allowing him to finish early each day so he can go to the Queen Charlotte Yacht Club and rig the boat for the afternoon sail.

Sailing in the sounds is really different to Tauranga, says Oscar.

'Because of all the mountains it's really shifty it picks up so quickly, like really gusting, which has been good for us, because the lakes in Austria also have really shifty winds.”

The 420 World Championship 2012 is to be held at Lake Neuseidl , near Vienna in Austria, from 27 July to 5 August.

Immediately after, Oscar and Taylor will compete at the Junior European 420 Championship at Lake Garda, Italy.

'I asked Taylor to come and sail a 420 with me at Sail Auckland and he jumped at the chance,” says Oscar.

'He was in Auckland he had come up for a Laser regatta, and I asked him if he wanted a shot at the worlds.”

They came third in a hired boat. They came fourth at the 420 nationals several weeks later in Lyttelton, with the combined placings enough to qualify.

'Jim has commented that we are a unique partnership with outstanding communication skills that creates the ' magic' between us and gives us huge potential,” says Oscar.

'With Jim's expert knowledge we are quickly understanding the challenging technical side of the 420, so our boat handling and speed is improving every week, allowing us to concentrate on the tactics for the different conditions of each race.”

They are working on their fitness and Oscar has joined a Tauranga gym during his week ‘off'.

'We believe we have what it takes to reach the top and our attitude is that we are going to Win the 420 Worlds not just make up the numbers.

'We have formed a strong relationship both on and off the water, sharing the same motivation, goals and competitive drive which is key to our success so far.”

Taylor was the first South Island NZ Optimist Champion and has represented NZ many times overseas in the Optimist, Laser 4.7, Laser Radial, Secondary Schools Teams Sailing and the Splash Class. Taylor is the current Splash Class World Champion from the Czech Republic 2011.

Oscar's sailing history includes winning the 2009 Tanner and Tauranga Cup in P Class, then going on to represent New Zealand in the Optimist Class at the IODA European Championships in Slovenia.

He has placed in the top three in the Starling Class for the last three years, finishing second this year, due to a starting penalty, says Oscar.

Oscar placed third at the 420 Nationals last year with Sam Mackay and sailed for experience in the 470 Junior Worlds with Chris Steele in Takapuna this year, immediately before Sail Auckland.

The 420 is an International One Design, two handed dinghy, sailed by mainly young sailors. It is the most popular two handed dinghy world-wide and sailed in most countries. It is very fast and exciting to sail and has a spinnaker as well as a main sail and jib. This dinghy leads directly into the 470 Class which is the current Olympic Men's and Women's Class.

Donations can be sent to BNZ 02 0740 0018118 83