Rain fails to dampen West Midlands Honda RYA Youth Rib Action

 

Two young West Midlands powerboaters made light work of torrid conditions to clinch their places in a prestigious National grand final by claiming victory at the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship Regional Final on Saturday (29 May).

 

Blithfield Sailing Club’s Russell Pickard, 16, and 11-year-old Oliver Goodhead, from South Staffordshire Sailing Club, battled through torrential rain and blustery wind at Blithfield SC near Rugeley in Staffordshire, to land the top regional prizes in the
13 – 16 and 8 – 12 year age-groups respectively.

 

The talented youngsters will now fly the flag for the West Midlands when they go head-to-head with the age-group victors of all the other regional deciders at the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship National Final, which takes place at the PSP Southampton Boat Show on Sunday 12th September.

 

The Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship is the RYA’s grassroots powerboating initiative giving young enthusiasts the opportunities to test their skills against the best age-group RIB drivers in their region and ultimately the country.

 

With the emphasis on swift, efficient and safe manoeuvring the event takes the form of a time trial around a set of marks with the driver with the fastest time in each age-group progressing through to the Southampton showdown.

 

In a nail-biting battle for supremacy with Blithfield SC clubmate Ed Felthouse, Russell’s winning time of 1.10:32 was less than a second faster than Ed’s best lap of 1.11:25 but it was enough to mean it is Russell who now has the chance to win a state-of-the-art 5m Ribcraft RIB for his club if he can repeat his regional success on the National grand final stage.

 

2010: 13-16 years age-group winner Russell Pickard at speed.

 

Meanwhile Oliver’s winning time of 1.46:00 was a full 16 seconds ahead of nearest rival Henry Dugmore (Blithfield SC) in second spot and it is the South Staffs SC youngster who will do battle for the top prize of a Honwave T40 RIB for his club at Southampton.

 

 2010: 8-12 years winner Oliver Goodhead surveys the course.

 

A delighted Russell, who has his RYA Powerboat Level 2 qualification and next year will undertake his RYA Powerboat Instructors course, said: “I’ve been powerboating for about three years now, I joined Blithfield originally and learned to sail and windsurf but I’m willing to try anything and love powerboating. It’s a fantastic opportunity to go to the Southampton Boat Show to represent the club and the area.”

 

Oliver added: “This was my third Honda RYA Youth RIB Regional Final so to win and now be going to Southampton for the National final feels amazing. I got into powerboating through my family who are all club members and inspired me to try the sport. I’ve had some really good training at South Staffs and now I’m looking forward to training even more to get ready for Southampton; it’s really exciting.”

 

Andy Felthouse, West Midlands Honda RYA Youth Rib Championship event organiser said: “It was the wettest event of the year by far but a lot of credit must go to the kids who just got on with the task at hand. The competition was as fierce as ever and everyone will be rooting for Russell and Oliver when they compete at Southampton.”

Reece Hales ensured it was a Blithfield 1-2-3 by claiming third spot in the 13 – 16 years age group while Manor Park Sailing Club’s Ben Chipping, who only started powerboating in April this year, finished a highly-impressive third in the 8 – 12 years age-group.

 

The Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship is sponsored by Honda and Ribcraft. For more information about the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship or details on how to get involved visit www.rya.org.uk. 

 

Karenza Morton
RYA West Midlands Regional Communicator

T: 07837 707630
E: press@tenpointstick.co.uk

W:www.rya.org.uk