Young powerboaters clinch national titles
Max Mawer and Ollie Pirt were triumphant int the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship National Final, held at the Southampton Boat Show on Sunday 13 September.
The final was the conclusion of a competition that began in May and has seen hundreds of young powerboaters from across the country compete for the national title.
In total, 13 regional final winners competed in the 8-12 age group, with another 14 going head-to head for the 13-16 age group title. Each finalist had two timed runs on the course, with the fastest time claiming the title.
In the 13-16 age category, Girton Sailing Club’s Max Mawer, 16, set the fastest time of the day in 1:02:75. Second place went to Bassenthwaite Sailing Club’s James Moore, North West champion, with a time of 1:05:81, narrowly beating the 1:06:31 achieved by Matt Le Vasseur, the Guernsey Yacht Club sailor who triumphed in the Channel Islands heats.
Ollie Pirt, 12, clinched the 8-12 age group title with a time of 1:11:09, beating Eastern region champion Ben Hall, who completed the course in 1:14:80. Medway Yacht Club’s Morgan Glass took third place after recording a time of 1:15:38.
Following his triumph, Ollie will receive a Honwave T40 RIB for Derwent Reservoir Sailing Club, and 13-16 age group victor and East Midlands regional champion Max Mawer has been awarded a Highfield 460 RIB to go to his club.
Ollie said: “Coming to the Boat Show has been a fantastic experience, and I’m just really happy because getting a new RIB will be good for my club.”
Max said: “I’m absolutely ecstatic, because my club definitely needs a new RIB. My favourite part is definitely the slalom, because I just love weaving in and out and you have to be reall precise with the slalom.”
Max went on to beat last year’s 13-16 age group winner Kamilla Czartolomna in the Champion of Clubs competition, earning himself and his family a VIP trip to the British Touring Car Championships at Brands Hatch next year.
“I say it every single year about the high standard, and this year is no exception. Everyone has been training very, very hard and it shows. The importance this championship has is that teaching people young is a very good way of having instructors, safe powerboaters and above all it is fun.” said Andrew Norton, RYA Powerboat Projects Manager and Event Director.
Steve Morris, Head of Power Products for Honda (UK) comments: “For us it’s a fantastic way of getting young people into boating, to try and get them to enjoy using our products in a safe environment and learn to use them properly.”
Thanks to Championship sponsors Honda and Highfield. You can find out more information about the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship and the full results from this year's competition on the dedicated site.