Jacob and Maddie Sail Off With Top Trophies 

Final event of LRYSA 2012 series sees big prizes claimed

Jacob Duce (Melton Mowbray SC) and Maddie Kirk (Bosworth Water Trust) were the big winners as the Leicestershire and Rutland Youth Sailing Association (LRYSA) rounded off another memorable season with the final Mayors’ Trophy Sail for Gold Regatta of 2012 at Bosworth Water Trust on Sunday (16 September).

LRYSA provides friendly and accessible racing for predominantly school-aged young people of all ability levels in both counties. Every year youngsters contest a series of five LRYSA Mayors’ Trophy events, between April and September, with the points added together at the end of each regatta and the overall winner decided at the final series event.

The Mayors of Hinckley and Bosworth were joined by representatives from Nuneaton and Bedworth councils to hand out the series trophies at Bosworth Water Trust.

The Mayors’ Trophy, for novice sailors, is donated annually by the mayors of the four towns, while the Matthew Fulham Memorial Trophy, for more advanced sailors, remembers the young sailor who learned to sail at Hinckley Wharf under the LRYSA and was tragically killed in the Egypt terrorist bombing in 2005.

Melton Mowbray SC’s Jacob Duce was awarded the overall Matthew Fulham Memorial Trophy after an impressive string of series wins this summer while Bosworth Water Trust’s Maddie Kirk, who has only been competing for a year, won the overall Mayors’ Trophy.

A special Endeavour Award was also presented to Tom Haywood (Bosworth Water Trust) for his shows of sportsmanship, consideration for others and willingness to go the extra mile, over the course of the season. Tom captained the Leicestershire team that competed at the National Schools’ Sailing Association Golden Jubilee Regatta at the London 2012 sailing venue of Weymouth and Portland in July. Tom also volunteers as an instructor to teach novice sailors.

On a great sailing day of sunshine and strong breeze at Bosworth Water Trust sailors completed three three-lap races to decide not only the event winners but the series victors. Jacob continued his fine form from the season to take Matthew Fulham Memorial Trophy victory on the day and wrap up the series win. Meanwhile Luke Wadding (MMSC) was the Mayors’ Trophy event winner on the day.

The regatta was held under the banner of Sail for Gold, the nationwide initiative from sailing’s national governing body, the RYA, to bring the buzz of the Olympics as close as home to possible for everyone and inspire the next generation of sailors.

For more information about the LRYSA visit www.mayorstrophy.org.uk

Results:

Series Overall:

Matthew Fulham Memorial Trophy
1) Jacob Duce (MMSC)
2) Tom Haywood (BWT)
3) Jamie Graham (MMSC)

Mayors’ Trophy
1) Maddie Kirk (BWT)
2) Joe Stocker (BWT)
3) Harry Moncur (BWT)

Event Results:

Matthew Fulham Memorial Trophy
1) Jacob Duce (MMSC)
2) Tom Haywood (BWT)
3) Niall Rennie (MMSC)

Mayors’ Trophy
1) Luke Wadding (MSC)
2) Harry Moncur (BWT)
3) Alex Bailey (BWT)