Sprites Bid For Regional Title Off To Flyer 

Hosts Spray Sprites take 2013 T15 South East Series round one victory

Spray Sprites team of young windsurfers made the most of home advantage to get their bid to reclaim the Team15 regional title off the perfect start by claiming victory at the opening round of the Team15 South East Inter-Club Challenge Series on Sunday (26 May).

The Eastbourne youngsters, who won back-to-back regional titles to qualify for the national Team15 Champions Cup grand final in 2010 and 2011, watched Kent rivals, Hythe Hotshots, pick up the regional crown last year before the Hotshots went on to lift the overall national title too.

Sunday’s event was the first of four regional rounds taking place over the summer, with the series winners again progressing to represent the South East at the 2013 Team15 Champions Cup in October.

And it was the Sprites who gained early bragging rights at Spray Watersports, with notable performances from 3.5m class winner, Megan Kraft, Louis Miles-Coppard and Oscar Williams, second in the 4.5m and 5.8m class respectively, and Bruce Partridge (6.8m), Sam Williams (3.5m) and Drew Beeson (4.5m), who all took third spots.

Meanwhile Jessie Williams, competing at her first event having only recently got in to the sport, came a creditable fourth in her 3.5m class and received a special Techno award for her debut efforts.

Jessie’s brother, Luke – who was second in the 6.8m class - is a Sprites stalwart and was recently named a Team15 Ambassador to help to inspire more young people to get involved and progress in windsurfing. Luke is also part of the RYA’s South East Zone squad on the pathway to Olympic classes sailing.

Team15 is the RYA’s youth windsurfing development programme helping make windsurfing more accessible and appealing to kids aged 15 and under at grassroots level. The Team15 Inter-Club Challenge Series takes place regionally over the summer adding a competitive edge and race training for those keen to hone their skills.

More than 40 youngsters from five clubs across the region took part in the opening regional round at Eastbourne, with the defending champions, Hythe Hotshots, finishing in second spot behind the host club. Round two takes place at Rye Watersports in East Sussex on Sunday 23 June.

Craig Coupe, Team15 regional organiser for the South East, said: “It was great to see so many young people from all different teams attending the first event and hopefully this is the taste of things to come. It was also good to see so many girls out on the water after being used to a very boy dominated Team15 series over the last few years.

“The weather was absolutely perfect. The sun was out all day and the morning started with a nice gentle offshore breeze and a rising tide. When we stopped for the lunch the weather swung round to a cross-shore breeze and increased. All competitors were planing around the course set in the afternoon. The weather gods were on our side!”

There are more than 80 Team15 clubs nationwide. Fun and informal Team15 sessions are held weekly, kit can be borrowed from the clubs and the cost of sessions is kept low.

For more information about getting involved at Spray Sprites visit www.eastsussex.gov.uk/spray or email spray.watersports@eastsussex.gov.uk or to find out more about Team15 visit www.rya.org.uk/programmes/team15 or contact 0845 345 0400.