National Nod for East Midlands' Champion Clubs
No fewer than 13 East Midlands clubs have RYA Champion Club status endorsed
No fewer than 13 East Midlands sailing clubs have had their junior and youth racing credentials rubber-stamped after being confirmed as RYA Champion Clubs for 2013-2014.
The RYA Champion Club programme is the foundation of the RYA’s hugely-successful and productive Junior and Youth Racing Programme, and the very bedrock of the British Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Team.
The programme recognises, promotes and invests in clubs that have continually introduced young people into sail racing and encouraged them to progress via good quality race training in a safe and fun environment. Clubs are considered ‘centres of excellence’ for young sailors in pursuit of future international success.
Covenham SC, near Louth in Lincolnshire, has been an RYA Champion Club since the programme’s inception in the late 1990s, and is one of no fewer than 173 sailing clubs nationwide benefitting from investment, support and resources as part of the programme.
The current RYA East Midlands Young Sailor of the Year, 14-year-old Sarah Gowler, who with clubmate, Emma Levison, competed at the Mirror National Championships in June, is one of the programme’s success stories.
Simon Thompson, the club’s Training Principal, explains the difference being an RYA Champion Club has made to them.
He said: “The RYA Champion Club programme was running at Covenham SC when I was a cadet learning to sail! The programme provided the instructors of the time with a framework for kids to learn to sail and race and it is still doing that today.
“Being an RYA Champion Club has helped the club by providing funding and coaching for the club’s cadets, and during our 15 years as a Champion Club we have sent a lot of kids to national events.
“In terms of what it means in the future the kids are looking forward to two days of coaching provided by the RYA. We intend to increase the number of competitive boats the kids can use to attend Start Racing and Intermediate Racing courses, and we want these kids to go on to compete in regional and national events, both in sailing and windsurfing.”
Following a successful bid to Sport England as part of the RYA’s 2013 - 17 Whole Sport Plan, the RYA took the opportunity to review, update and refine the RYA Champion Club programme.
Duncan Truswell, RYA Youth Racing Manager, added: “These RYA Champion Clubs are the very foundations of our World Class performance programmes, providing great coaching, advice and support and great places for young people to have fun while learning to sail, race and developing their enthusiasm for competitive sailing.
“They continue to be instrumental in consistently developing the next generation of Olympic and Paralympic sailors. We are indebted to the many club volunteers who form the committees, coaches and race officials and who give their time and expertise to support the next generation of sailors in the UK.”
More information about the RYA Champion Club programme can be found at www.rya.org.uk/programmes/ryachampionclub
East Midlands RYA Champion Clubs
Northamptonshire
- Banbury Sailing Club
- Cransley Sailing Club
- Hollowell Sailing Club
- Northampton Sailing Club
Derbyshire
- Burton Sailing Club
- Carsington Sailing Club
- Ogston Sailing Club
- Staunton Harold Sailing Club
Lincolnshire
- Covenham Sailing Club
- Hykeham Sailing Club
Nottinghamshire
- Notts County Sailing Club
- Girton Sailing Club
Rutland