Elliott Kuzyk wins his 5th Southern Area Topper Championships
by Charlotte Bulloch 30 Jun 2016 22:11 BST
25 June 2016
Elliott Kuzyk wins Southern Area Topper Championships © Peter Newton /
www.peternewton.zenfolio.com
Elliott Kuzyk, 15, from Parkstone Yacht Club has broken all UK regional records by winning the Southern Area Topper Sailing Championships for an impressive 5th year in a row. Elliott headed out to Stokes Bay Sailing Club on Saturday 25 June and with difficult weather to contend with, including thunder and lightning, torrential rain and changeable windy bursts. The fleet of 30+ Toppers braved everything the Solent threw at them and Elliott eventually won by a convincing margin, to become Southern Area Champion 2016.
In the UK-wide National Series, Elliott Kuzyk is currently ranked 1st /234 sailors, with 5 National Series events held so far in 2016, each event of two days duration. With one more event to go it will be a close battle between Parkstone's Elliott Kuzyk and Callum Bell from Scotland, with Elliott currently one point ahead on discard.
Commodore at Parkstone Yacht Club, Bryan Drake commented; "Elliott is racking up some impressive achievements and we wish him well with his future events which we are watching with a close eye. It's fantastic to be able to nurture talent like Elliott's at the Club where we offer facilities and support for world class competitive sailors as well as amateur sailors. His success is a fantastic inspiration for our youth sailors."
Elliott is particularly looking forward to the World Championships in Ireland where 30 boats from China alone are attending, with around a dozen countries expected to be represented. The National Championships, to be held in North Berwick, Scotland, will follow shortly afterwards. Elliott's brother Giles, also from Parkstone Yacht Club, as World Champion and Double National Champion previously in the Toppers, is not racing in 2016 but will be rooting for his brother, Elliott.
As part of the RYA's Team GBR for the last two years, Elliott has received first class coaching from the RYA and they will be fully supporting Elliott at the final National series event, the World Championships and the National Championships. Elliott is extremely grateful for their ongoing support and commitment, which has been exemplary.