Main Menu
Welcome
South East youngsters shine in Honda RIB Championship
Administrator,Monday 18 September 2006 - 20:35:59 // comment: 3
Would you let your 8 year old child race a 50hp motor boat? Well, the Royal Yachting Association does! The RYA Honda RIB Championship is an annual event for children in two age groups: 8-12 and 13-16. These youngsters drive a powerful boat around a demanding course, involving a high speed slalom, Man Overboard drill and reversing round a buoy. The fastest helm in each group could win for their club a 4.8m Ribcraft RIB with a Honda 50hp engine on an Indespension trailer - worth many thousands of pounds.On Saturday September 16, 11 young competitors chosen by their sailing club (10 boys and a girl) gathered at Piddinghoe near Newhaven to vie for selection to represent the South East Region at the national final to be
held at the Southampton Boat Show on September 23. There they will compete with other regional winners from England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Piddinghoe is Newhaven & Seaford Sailing Club's RYA centre for sail
training.
The Royal Yachting Association created this competition in 2001 as part of its new Youth Awareness Campaign to attract a new generation of children into boating. Since then, the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship has evolved into one of the top youth powerboat competitions in the UK, giving young children and teenagers the opportunity to develop powerboat handling skills in a safe, controlled environment.
RYA experts have designed the course, which is a time trial that tests boat handling skills to the limit. There is an RYA Instructor in the boat with the competitor who assesses performance and adds time penalties for
mistakes, such as hitting a buoy or revving the engine too fast.
Mark Lambert (Newhaven & Seaford Sailing Club), last year's winner in the 13-16 age group and now 16, took line honours again this year, despite a distinctly shaky first run. "I was too aggressive first time round and incurred a penalty. I even pulled the killcord out!" exclaimed Mark, "so I took the second run slower and steadier - no mistakes!" Last year at the final at Southampton, Mark was fifth, but this year he is looking to a podium slot, having another year's experience behind him.
Although this is the first time he has entered, Adam Bermingham (aged 11) from Wilsonian Sailing Club blew away the competition in the 8-12 age group. Dad is a sailing school teacher, and Adam gets plenty of opportunity to pilot the school's motor boat.
Now Adam will get the chance to represent the South East region on September 23.
Ken Ellison, who organizes this annual competition for the RYA, commented that "There has been a continual improvement in skill over the six years of the competition. In particular, the 'water cowboys' in the 13-16 age group have learnt that boat handling skill is far more important than sheer speed"
held at the Southampton Boat Show on September 23. There they will compete with other regional winners from England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Piddinghoe is Newhaven & Seaford Sailing Club's RYA centre for sail
training.
The Royal Yachting Association created this competition in 2001 as part of its new Youth Awareness Campaign to attract a new generation of children into boating. Since then, the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship has evolved into one of the top youth powerboat competitions in the UK, giving young children and teenagers the opportunity to develop powerboat handling skills in a safe, controlled environment.
RYA experts have designed the course, which is a time trial that tests boat handling skills to the limit. There is an RYA Instructor in the boat with the competitor who assesses performance and adds time penalties for
mistakes, such as hitting a buoy or revving the engine too fast.
Mark Lambert (Newhaven & Seaford Sailing Club), last year's winner in the 13-16 age group and now 16, took line honours again this year, despite a distinctly shaky first run. "I was too aggressive first time round and incurred a penalty. I even pulled the killcord out!" exclaimed Mark, "so I took the second run slower and steadier - no mistakes!" Last year at the final at Southampton, Mark was fifth, but this year he is looking to a podium slot, having another year's experience behind him.
Although this is the first time he has entered, Adam Bermingham (aged 11) from Wilsonian Sailing Club blew away the competition in the 8-12 age group. Dad is a sailing school teacher, and Adam gets plenty of opportunity to pilot the school's motor boat.
Now Adam will get the chance to represent the South East region on September 23.
Ken Ellison, who organizes this annual competition for the RYA, commented that "There has been a continual improvement in skill over the six years of the competition. In particular, the 'water cowboys' in the 13-16 age group have learnt that boat handling skill is far more important than sheer speed"