Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship North East Regional Finals 

Young powerboaters in Sunderland compete in the Honda RYA Youth RIB final

Sunderland harbour throbbed to the sound of Honda engines last weekend (Sat 20th August) when young powerboating enthusiasts from across the RYA North East Region took part in the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship.

 Youngsters ranging in age from 9 years to 16 years, expertly guided their fast RIBs (rigid inflatable boats) through a series of slalom courses, under the watchful eye of qualified instructors in each boat.   This is the tenth year of the Championship and the standard reached by our youth powerboaters has improved every year.

 Sunderland competitors have a great track record in this competition, with three National Championship wins in the past five years and Sunderland Yacht Club has now hosted the Regional Championship four times.  

This year however, for the first time since 2006, the regional youth crown went to a powerboater outside the City of Sunderland. Fifteen year old Lewis Allick from Nunthorpe on Teesside took the youth class (13 to 16yrs) honours in a time of 1min 21.8sec, only just beating fifteen year old Beth Elliott from Sunderland Yacht Club.

Lewis, who is a member of Tees and Hartlepool Yacht Club, is an experienced Jet Ski and RIB driver and has won silver and bronze medals in the competition in previous years, so he has now completed his set!  

Sunderland held on to the junior class however, with the junior title going to twelve year old James Moore in 1min 18sec. James, who comes from Lobley Hill in Gateshead and attends Emmanuel College, Gateshead, has sailed at Sunderland Yacht Club in several dinghy competitions and 2011 was his second attempt in the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship.    

“It’s fantastic,” said James after the event. “I’m going to practice for the National Championships for the next few weeks.”  

“I’ve already been training really hard,” said Lewis. “I’ll give the Nationals my best shot and I hope I’ll do well.”  

The Honda RYA Youth Rib Championship, sponsored by Honda and Ribcraft, is a National Championship in which 8-16 year old RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) drivers can demonstrate their boat handling skills in a race against the clock in the hope of winning a 5m Ribcraft or Honwave T40 for their club.  

The Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship National Finals will be held at the Southampton Boat Show on Sunday 18th September 2011.  

 David Hodgkinson, Marketing Communications Manager for event sponsor Honda said: "We are extremely proud that in 10th year of sponsoring the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship, we continue to inspire and encourage more young people than ever before to pursue their passion for boating, and also give them the skills to do so.

It allows us to underline our commitment to safety and best practice, something which we take extremely seriously as a major manufacturer of engines and inflatables."