British Junior Windsurfing Nationals
by Karenza Morton.
Date: 06 october 2010
Skegness windsurfer Robert York made light work of defending his 2009 crown as he once again picked up gold at the 2010 RYA UKWA National Windsurfing Championships this weekend (2-3 October).
The 14-year-old Lincolnshire talent triumphed in the Under 15 boys’ age-group finishing a comfortable five points ahead of his nearest rival Ruben Lansley (Barton-upon-Humber) on the 2012 Olympic waters of Weymouth and Portland.
Robert sails the Bic Techno 6.8m2 board, which is one of the junior windsurfing classes the RYA supports towards producing Olympic stars of the future, having learned to windsurf and developing his skills through the RYA’s Team15 grassroots windsurfing programme.
RYA UKWA National Windsurfing Championships
And he has certainly enjoyed a memorable 2010 season, also competing at the Bic Techno World Championships in Martigues, France in July, where he finished second British Under 15 boy.
Staged at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, the two-day RYA UKWA National Windsurfing Championships traditionally marks the end of the competitive windsurfing season with around 100 windsurfers going head-to-head for National titles in their respective classes.
Light southerly winds graced Weymouth Bay on Saturday allowing for a full complement of three races to take place, but Sunday proved more of a challenge as an unsailable 45 knot gale put paid to racing for most of the morning. With the breeze moderating to 15-20 knots in time for the afternoon session, there was a highly charged and exciting climax to the event.
“The standard of competition amongst the RYA’s National Junior Squad is fantastic. There were some really close battles this weekend and that tightness is great for the overall standard of our sailors in the UK,” RYA Single Handed Pathway Manager, Kirsty Bonar commented.
“About seven or eight years ago we were struggling a bit for young windsurf racing talent in the UK so to have such a tight knit group of sailors performing to such a high standard constantly pushing each other like this is very exciting in terms of our future potential.”
She added: “It’s also great to see a number of the RYA’s Team15 sailors coming through at national level suggesting the grassroots initiative has really helped to inspire a new breed of young talent.”
