Fowey Gallants Sailing Club awarded Volvo Champion Club

Fowey Gallants has been awarded the esteemed Volvo RYA Champion Club status by Olympic silver medallist Joe Glanfield © Gail Willows

Olympic Sailors presents prestigious award

Cornish sailing club Fowey Gallants has been awarded the esteemed Volvo RYA Champion Club status by Olympic silver medallist Joe Glanfield, for their commitment to youth sailing and delivery of high level training at their club.

Joe Glanfield, Olympic silver medallist, took time out of his demanding Olympic training to present the award at the Club and give an inspiring talk about his Olympic campaign to the young local; on Saturday 5th April 2008.

“The Volvo RYA Champion Club status furthers Fowey Gallants commitment at grass root level. It’s amazing the difference a club can make in developing the future British sailing team. I still use the skills I gained from my junior racing days, they are especially going to come in handy at the Beijing Olympics where there is little wind and lots of tide, similar to the conditions at my local club. Sailing as a sport relies heavily on volunteers at grass roots levels like Spud and Sally Wilkinson at Fowey Gallants Sailing Club - they must be applauded - without their efforts local Junior sailing days wouldn’t happen.,” Joe Glanfield, Olympic silver medallist, and representing GBR in the 470 Class at the Beijing Olympics.

The Volvo RYA Champion Club Programme recognises those sailing clubs with a commitment to youth sailing and race coaching in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It aims to encourage young sailors and windsurfers at grassroots level to stay in the sport and learn to compete while encouraging clubs to introduce youngsters to the sport and help develop their skills through quality club-based activity and RYA race training programmes, in the hope of finding the Olympic sailing athletes of the future. The key challenge for the sport is to encourage more young people to start participating in sailing and then progress with their racing careers.

Now Fowey Gallants has been awarded the Volvo RYA Champion Club Status, they will see increased levels of development advice and support from their local RYA High Performance Manager resulting in improved coaching and facilities for the young people, along with support from Sport England in their recent announcement to committing £1.1m to the RYA’s flagship Volvo RYA Champion Club OnBoard and Team15 youth initiatives to further enhance club coach and volunteer development across England over the next three years.

“Volvo has been committed to driving British sailing for many years and one of the key areas we support at grass roots level is the Volvo RYA Champion Club Programme which is extremely successful at engaging young sailors in racing.” Lesley Milne, Head of Sponsorship and Events, Volvo Car UK.

James Tilley, RYA Champion Clubs Liaison Officer “It really is an exciting time to be involved in the Volvo RYA Champion Club Programme and the incentives are there for every club to take full advantage of. The easier we can make it for more clubs to do that then the quicker the sport of sailing will benefit.”

Fowey Gallants club will now also be able to apply for grants from Volvo Car UK, the sponsor of the programme, to make their club more Eco Friendly.