A Melton Mowbray teenager has clinched her place in a prestigious national powerboating final by claiming an age-group victory at the East Midlands Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship Regional Final at Burton Sailing Club on Saturday (17 May).  

Kayla Simmonds, 14, will go head to head against the 13 other regional age-group champions at the Honda RYA Youth RIB national grand final at the PSP Southampton Boat Show on Sunday 14 September following her regional success in the 13-16 age group.  

For Kayla the victory puts to bed her disappointment of missing out on clinching a place at the 2012 national final by just one second at that year’s regional showdown.  

Now in its 13th year, the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship is Britain’s leading programme introducing kids to powerboats and training them to be safe, proficient drivers and excellent boat handlers.   RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats) are light, manoeuvrable craft and the boats driven in the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship can hit speeds of up to 25mph. The youngsters compete in time trials around sets of marks with the driver with the fastest time in each age-group qualifying for the national final where the overall national champion in each age-group will win a Highfield 460 or a Honwave T40 RIB for their club.  

Kayla can be more commonly found racing Topper dinghies at her home club, Notts County Sailing Club, but once again she made light work of the transition from wind to diesel power.  

It was Burton SC’s Tom Coleman, who grasped the 2012 title ahead Kayla, that set the early pace on his home waters, completing his first run a full six seconds quicker than Kayla, including penalties. But John Ferneley College student Kayla hit back in run two, completing a clean run in 1.21:85 to eclipse second-placed Tom’s best time of 1.33:59, to gain revenge by snatching the national final spot.  

So surprised

Kayla said: “I’m so surprised, happy and excited to have won. I’m looking forward to going to Southampton now, although I’ll be a bit nervous!”  

With the emphasis on swift, efficient and safe manoeuvring, the skills the youngsters develop through the Honda RYA Youth RIB programme are a great chance for them to experience the thrill of racing a small powerboat and invaluable in developing safe, proficient powerboat drivers to support sailing clubs in running the activities they want to get more people out on the water more often.      

Stephen Morris, Head of Power Equipment for Honda (UK), said: “We are delighted to continue our long and successful partnership with the RYA in supporting the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship, and to be bringing on-board our new boatbuilder partner, Highfield, for 2014. Both Honda and Highfield are only too pleased to support the RYA in its efforts to inspire and encourage young people to develop their skills and to promote safe and responsible boating through this unique Championship.”  

For more information about the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship visit www.rya.org.uk/go/hondayouthrib