Bumper fleet heads south for RS:X Youth Nationals
by Will Carson, RYA 11 Apr 2018 15:11 BST
13-15 April 2018
RS:X youth sailors in action at RYA Youth National Championships 2017 © Paul Wyeth / RYA
A record fleet of RS:X sailors is set to descend on the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy to battle it out for the title of youth national champion.
Twenty nine boys and girls under the age of 21 including the UK's top windsurfing talent will hit Dorset's waters on Friday (April 15) for three days of tight competition.
The main RYA Youth National Championships was held in Largs, Scotland, over the first week of April but due to a clash in its schedule the RS:X class was given its own event.
Nevertheless, the stakes remain the same – up for grabs is not only the youth national champion title but places in the British Youth Sailing summer squad plus grants for international events this summer.
One boy and one girl will also be chosen to represent Great Britain at the Youth World Championships in Corpus Christi, Texas, from July 14-22.
Among those looking to impress will be a raft of current British Youth Sailing squad members who recently returned from the prestigious Princess Sofia Trophy regatta in Palma, Mallorca.
"Thanks to the hard work of the UK RS:X class, this year's RS:X Youth Nationals will see a record number of sailors compete for the coveted title of youth national champion," said Tim Hall, the RS:X Youth Nationals event director.
"It's set to be a real celebration of youth windsurfing in the UK with RYA staff, volunteers, coaches and selectors all on hand to help run a world class event.
"An Easter camp for Techno windsurfers will be taking place at the same time as the RS:X Youth Nationals so expect to see a huge fleet of junior and youth sailors on the water this weekend."