Four weeks until the ‘Battle of the Zones’ begin
The RYA Volvo Zone and Home Country Championships take place across nine different venues throughout the UK
Great Britain’s Junior sailors have four weeks to hone their skills in preparation for the ‘Battle of the Zones’ which take place across nine different venues throughout the United Kingdom on the weekend of the 29-30 September 2012.
The RYA Volvo Zone and Home Country Championships will welcome in excess of 1,000 young sailors across the nine different venues. With Volvo Car UK continuing their support of all the events for the fourth year running, the Championships traditionally mark the end of the Junior racing season and the start of a hard winter’s training.
The event is the RYA Regional Championship for each Zone and is aimed at sailors in local clubs under the age of 16 who are racing in the RYA pathway classes. It is a great first-time event for club sailors, giving them the opportunity to get a real feel of a Championship atmosphere. It is also a key event for any young sailor wishing to be selected for the RYA Zone and Home Country squads.
For the first time, all of the Zones and Home Country Championship events will offer ‘novice’ regatta fleets for Toppers and Optimists. This is an event for sailors to set themselves an end-of-year goal after training and racing during the summer months. It will give young sailors a good learning experience to help start them along the pathway to success.
Each one of the nine venues used are renowned for staging major events and will provide the young sailors with the perfect setting to develop their sailing skills and racing ability whilst under the watchful eye of the RYA High Performance Managers and coaches.
Racing takes place across the nine RYA recognised Junior dinghy and windsurfing classes including the Mirror, Optimist, Topper, RS Feva, Cadets and the windsurfers on the Bic Techno using the open 4.5, and 5.8 rigs, and the Techno 6.8s and Techno 7.8s – classes vary according to each venue.
Competitors are urged to submit their entries, together with the entry fee, online at www.ryaracingevents.org.uk before 23 September 2012. Due to safety considerations and the size and complexity of the event, entries after this date cannot be accepted. RYA organisers are urging athletes to confirm their attendance and submit their online entry promptly to avoid disappointment.
In addition to the RYA High Performance Managers, sailors will have the chance to showcase their talents in front of Skandia Team GBR and Team Volvo for Life sailors.
Chris Atherton, RYA High Performance Manager, said: “This event is a fantastic Regional Championship and the perfect opportunity for sailors to experience what a multi class regatta is like. It will provide an ideal platform for the sailors to learn and develop in a competitive arena as well giving them the chance to rub shoulders with our 2012 sailing heroes.”
The 2012 RYA Volvo Zone and Home Countries Championships will be staged at the following venues:
The RYA Volvo South Zone Championships – Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, Dorset
The RYA Volvo South West Zone Championships – Chew Valley Sailing Club, Bristol
The RYA Volvo South East Zone Championships – Weir Wood Sailing Club, East Sussex
The RYA Volvo East Zone Championships– Alton Water Sailing Club, Suffolk
The RYA Volvo West Zone Championships– Leigh and Lowton Sailing Club, Greater Manchester
The RYA Volvo North Zone Championships – Rutland Sailing Club, Rutland
Volvo Welsh Youth & Junior Championships – New Quay Sailing Club, Ceredigion
RYA Scotland Volvo Youth and Junior Championships – Largs Sailing Club, Largs
RYANI Volvo Youth Championships and NI Schools Cup In association with McCready Sailboats – Ballyholme Yacht Club, Co Down
All sailors wishing to be considered for a National Junior Squad OR a Zone Squad place are requested to complete an online application form. This can be found at www.ryaracingevents.org.uk by following the links to Junior Squad applications.