Young powerboaters from across the Thames Valley and London hit the water for the regional finals of the Honda RYA Youth Rib Championship at Queen Mary Sailing Club on Saturday 31 May 2014.  

The Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship is a National Championship open to RYA clubs, organisations and training centres where 8 - 16 year old RIB drivers can demonstrate their skills with the goal of winning their club a brand new Highfield 460 or a Honwave T40.  

The winners will go on to the national final at the PSP Southampton Boat Show in September where they will be up against regional finalists from across the country.  

Jake Swainston (10) of Dinton Activity Centre took victory by some margin in the 8-12 age group, with Lizzie Gunn (10) of Erith Yacht Club in second making sure it wasn’t an all boys affair, and Alfie Francis (11) of Southwark Sea Cadets in third.   Jake, from Binfield, won the qualifying heats at Dinton Activity Centre in his first ever event in a powerboat to make the regional final. He said: “I told my instructor I really wanted to win and it’s amazing that I’ve won”.  

In the 13-16 age group last year’s winner George Galloway (16) of Windsor Yacht Club continued his winning ways to take first place, closely followed by Josh Lee Paterson (13). Josh, also from Dinton Activity Centre, had moved up to the older group after winning the 10-12 age group every year for the past three years. Angus Gunn kept the Gunn family and Erith Yacht Club on the podium with a third place.   George, from Windsor, said: “I’m really proud to be representing my region in the national final.”  

Event Manager Tom Busfield added: “George really gave it his all on his second run to take victory. It was a great day for the event with sunshine and no wind.”  

Thanks to Championship sponsors Honda and Highfield.  

For more information about the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship, details on how to get involved and a list of regional finals scores visit www.rya.org.uk/go/hondayouthrib