RYA Cymru Wales is the National Governing Body for all forms of boating activity in Wales. RYA Cymru Wales works closely with the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) the UK Governing Body and is a member of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF).
RYA Cymru Wales acts for the RYA on all matters pertaining to sailing and boating in Wales. Together we support over 25,000 club and individual members in Wales. Our purpose is to:
Promote and Protect Safe, Successful & Rewarding Boating in Wales
The Royal Yachting Association has 85 affiliated member clubs in Wales. Affiliation is a requirement to run racing under the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) International Racing Rules of Sailing. Welsh Clubs are also encouraged to affiliate to RYA Cymru Wales. There are no personal members of RYA Cymru Wales as individuals join the UK National Governing Body, the RYA. There are also 64 RYA registered Training Centres (TCs) in Wales.
RYA Cymru Wales is a company limited by guarantee and has a Board of Directors, themed standing Committees for Club & Community Development and Performance. There are also three Regional Committees based in north, south and west Wales. Its’ members are clubs and affiliated organisations.
RYA Cymru Wales staff are based at the head office at Plas Menai, the National Outdoor Centre with which the Association has a close working relationship. We also have Club Development & Pathway Officers in south and west Wales.
RYA Cymru Wales is committed to working towards Sport Wales and RYA objectives and to feed the RYA GBR performance pathway, and ultimately Team GBR. Great Britain has consistently been the most successful sailing nation for the past three Olympic cycles. Welsh sailor Hannah Mills contributed to the success of Team GBR at the London 2012 Games and won a silver in the Women’s 470 class. She is the first Welsh sailor to win an olympic sailing medal since Ian Barker in 1992. Wales contributes sailors at all levels of the GBR programme and our sailors have won numerous world and european medals within the olympic and olympic feeder classes over the last 10 years. Our success in the Youth & Junior classes, is underpinned by the Welsh performance programme.
RYA Cymru Wales is committed to equality and ensuring the sport is a sport for all. Our programmes seek to enable people regardless of age, gender, disability or race to enjoy safely the sport of sailing in all its varied facets throughout Wales.
In April 2013 we launched our new Strategic Plan Sailing An Inclusive Sport for Life(WYA-STRATEGICPLAN-WELSH-FINAL-V3-21MAR)