Young Medway Powerboaters Bid For Home Rule
North Kent club hosting South East HYR Final on Saturday 2 August
Young powerboater, Rowan Ellerby, will be hoping home advantage pays dividends as he bids to repeat his 2013 title winning success at the 2014 South East Honda RYA Youth RIB Regional Championship at Medway Yacht Club on Saturday (2 August).
The then 12-year-old Rowan enjoyed a perfect event debut as he won the 8-12 years age group at last year’s regional final at Bewl Valley, going on to represent the South East at the national grand final at Southampton and finishing a creditable sixth out of 14.
With the regional final being hosted by his home club, Medway YC, Rowan, who this year moves into the 13-16 year age group, will be keen for more success. But this time he will also have to contend with racing against his older brother, Myles!
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.
Youngsters from sailing clubs across Kent and Sussex will travel to Medway where they will compete in time trials around sets of marks with the driver with the fastest time in each age-group qualifying for the national final. The national champion in each age-group wins a Highfield 460 or a Honwave T40 RIB for their club.
Medway YC’s own youngsters have been training for this event since April, with Rebecca Glass in the 13-16 years and one of her younger brothers, Bryn, being tipped amongst the ones to watch.
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.
Medway YC’s Mark Breare is organising and co-ordinating the event. He admits the Honda RYA Youth RIB is something the club takes seriously.
“We try and embrace all aspects of the boating world,” he said. "We are extremely fortunate that we have a very active senior member Mike Spurgin, who’s 87 and has been instrumental in raising this competition’s profile and really pushed it within the club. He watched the regional finals a couple of years back at a club down the River Medway from us and decided this was something we should be encouraging our youth members to do.
“It’s so important for the younger members to develop good habits and respect the boats and what they can do. Imparting the knowledge and skills early will ensure future generations of boaters will help to keep our sport as safe and fun as possible. The Honda RYA Youth RIB event gives the children a fantastic opportunity to attain these skills and have a load of fun in the process.”
Stephen Morris, Head of Power Equipment for Honda (UK), added: “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.”
Medway YC has no fewer than 10 club volunteers directly involved in the running of the regional finals alongside the RYA team. This comprises instructors in the RIBs, safety boats crews, timekeepers, chaperones and recorders. This is all backed up by the club facilities and catering staff to ensure everyone has a great, fun event.
For more information about the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship visit www.rya.org.uk/go/hondayouthrib