Perton Sister Act As Girls Land National Powerboat Spot
South Staffs sisters Kamila and Aga win West Midlands Honda Youth RIB round
Two Perton sisters will fly the flag for the West Midlands at a national powerboating final after claiming respective age-group victories at the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship Regional Final at Draycote Water Sailing Club on Saturday 14 June.
South Staffordshire Sailing Club’s Kamila Czartolomna, 13, and nine-year-old sister, Aga, 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 their regional success in the 13-16 and 8-12 age groups respectively.
This is the third successive year that Kamila has qualified for the national final, but is the first time in the older age-group. Last year she finished a hugely impressive second overall in the 8-12 age-group at the Southampton showdown.
Aga, meanwhile, was making her Honda RYA Youth RIB debut this year and proved that calm under pressure runs in the family by clinching victory. Both girls first got the opportunity to powerboat because they sail at South Staffordshire Sailing Club, where they have been members for five years.
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.
The stop-start obstacle proved a stumbling block for Kamila on her first run, as she picked up 15 penalty points. But, despite the pressure being on, the Perton Middle School youngster recovered brilliantly to nail a clean second run in what proved to be a winning 1 minute 12 seconds.
Sandown First School pupil Aga also learnt from her mistakes from her first run to deliver an error-free, victorious second run in two minutes 12 seconds.
Kamila said: “I’m so happy and excited to have qualified for the national final again! I was fifth in 2012, and second in 2013, so I’ve done better and better. Now I really want to win!”
Aga added: “I feel super happy and nervous at the same time about going to the Southampton national final but I will be trying to do my best.”
Martin Warburton, South Staffs SC Commodore, said: “Congratulations to Kamila and Aga, both represented South Staffs very well. To have two competitors from the same club in the national final is quite an achievement. Thanks must go to Steve Troke and Robin Harper for all their time encouraging and training our youngsters.”
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.”