Welcome to the RYA Yorkshire & Humberside website

This site aims to provide information for anyone considering taking up the sport of sailing, as well as keeping the already well established sailing community informed about regional events on and off the water.
The site contains information about finding clubs in your area, where you can receive training from RYA qualified instructors or where you can just take the family for their first sailing experience.

Keeping you up to date with events and news from around the Y&H region:
RYA Yorkshire and Humberside newsletter Autumn 2008 click here to download or view (pdf file opens in a new window)

RYA PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, 24 September 2008

North Lincs Invaders carry off the RYA regional Windsurfing Trophy click here for event images

The North Lincs Invaders youth windsurfing squad turned up in force at Pugneys Park, Wakefield on Sunday 21st Sept, determined to do battle with the Covenham Cyclones, the Derwent Devils and most importantly the Pugneys Pirates.

The Invaders’ marauding raid was not in vain and after an excellent team performance by some of the rising stars in youth windsurfing, the North Lincs Invaders carried off the RYA Team15 North Zone Championship trophy for the first time in the club’s history.

The event at Pugneys Country Park was the final event in this summer’s RYA Team15 regional competition and this year’s competition has been so tight that any of the teams could have won the overall trophy. It was the consistency of the junior members of the Invaders team that won through on the day as the Invaders took the top slots in both the 3.5m and the 4.5m classes in fine style.

The event got off to a slow start due to lack of wind so racing on the lake did not begin until after lunch and the light airs played havoc with some members of the windsurfing fleet, testing their patience and technical skill to the limit. Despite this frustration the races were no less competitive, with every youngster battling to do well for their team.

The scores were so tight, that at the prize giving the atmosphere was tense as the team members waited with bated breath for the result of the team competition. After the announcement of the winning team, the cheer from the North Lincs Invaders almost took the roof off the Pugneys Pirates headquarters!

“Winning this competition is fantastic for the youngsters,” said Simon Seal the Head Coach at the North Lincs club. “Everyone has worked so hard this year to achieve this; all the other coaches, instructors, parents and most of all the competitors.”

“The standard of this year’s competition has been better than ever,” said David Dobson, RYA Team15 coordinator. “We have had some difficult weather at some events but the youngsters have coped with all the races. It is really exciting for all the teams to be as close as this and we have more new teams joining next season.”

“The squad at North Lincs is very young and very strong,” said Ian Roberts, RYA Head Coach for the North and West Zones. “They have some very talented youngsters and possibly some potential Olympians of the future.”

Next up for North Lincs is the Champions Cup on 4th and 5th October at Rutland Water, where they will meet the Champion Team15 clubs from all the other RYA Zones in the UK.

“We’ll give it our best shot,” said Simon Seal. “We like to make sure that our young windsurfers compete at their best and have fun while they do it.

Team15 Results – Pugneys Country Park 21st Sept 2008 (to 4th place)

3.5m class
1.  Harry Davis                                   North Lincs Invaders (NLI)
2.  Max Butler                         NLI
3.  Toby Butler                                   NLI
4.  Sam Collette                                Pugneys Pirates (PP)

4.5m class
1.  Ruben Lansley                             NLI
2.  Jed Davis                                     NLI
3.  Rowan Hardy                                PP
4.  Joshua Tinker                               Covenham Cyclones (CC)

5.5m class
1.  Edward Appleton             CC
2.  Abigail Wilson                              PP
3.  Robert Griffiths                             NLI
4.  Kathryn Durham                           PP

6.8m class
1.  Jack Maw                                     CC
2.  Mark Sutton                                  PP
3.  Ben Foxon                                    CC
4.  Jonathan Muse                             NLI

6.8m Techno class
1.  Joe Dickinson                              CC
2.  Max Bushell                                  NLI
3.  Luke Raistrick                              PP
4.  Robert York                                  CC

A number of special awards were given out in addition to the above.

Two Merit Awards for achievement and endeavour – 9 year old Sarah Labourne (NLI) and 10 year old Jacob Collette (Individual entry).

Five Special Awards for those youngsters now leaving Team15 and moving up into the adult windsurfing squads:
Edward Appleton (CC); Abigail Wilson (PP); Jack Maw (CC); Mark Sutton (PP); Ben Foxon (CC)

Supported by industry leaders Neilson, Tushingham/Starboard, Ultra Sport/Bic, Windsurf magazine, Boards magazine and Neil Pryde, T15 was set up by the RYA to provide youngsters, up to the age of 15, with the opportunity to learn all about windsurfing and improve their skills in a friendly club environment. Weekly training sessions take place at RYA approved centres and clubs and are run by RYA trained instructors and T15 coaches. All safety aspects are taken care of and equipment can be provided to children who don’t have their own kit yet.

2008 End of Season BLAST! 

Calling all RYA Dinghy / Windsurf Instructors

Come and join the fun at
Pugneys Country Park
on
Sunday the 26th October 2008

(10am – 4pm)

The End of Season BLAST is an informal training day

Giving you the opportunity to get some personal skills input from Top Coaches… 

It’s completely FREE for all RYA Dinghy/Windsurf Instructors
Poster and further details here

There are LIMITED PLACES so book now so you don’t miss out!

Jump OnBoard and join the fun

The RYA’s OnBoard initiative launched in Yorkshire earlier this summer is gathering speed.

“We have had great fun with the youngsters in the area this summer”, said Liz McDonald, RYA Yorkshire OnBoard Development Officer based at the Yorkshire OnBoard Development Centre at Pugneys Country Park, Wakefield. “We now have two OnBoard “Partner clubs” – Otley Sailing Club, just to the north of Leeds, and Pennine Sailing Club on the edge of the Peak District. These are the first of many OnBoard partners for Pugneys, we will be looking to sign up two or three more in 2009. After its launch back in May, the scheme has quickly gained momentum in Yorkshire, and it’s great to be able to welcome these two clubs to the Yorkshire OnBoard family. Both clubs have already shown a dedication to youth sailing and I’m looking forward to working with them, and enabling more youngsters to get out on the water.”

“Both clubs will be inviting youngsters from their local schools and youth groups to the club to have their first taste of sailing. They both already run regular youth sailing, which they will be looking to expand and improve through the OnBoard scheme. Otley SC is also a Centre of Excellence for Sailability and the club is hoping to integrate disabled and ablebodied sailors within the club.”

"We are very proud to be part or the RYA OnBoard scheme, said Antony Cam, Senior Instructor of Otley SC. “It is a great feeling to see youngsters progress from initial nervousness to excitement and pride as they learn to sail, and On Board is the perfect framework to use to safely achieve this dream."

For more information about OnBoard and how your school or club can become involved please contact Liz McDonald, RYA Yorkshire OnBoard Development Officer by calling 07789 271810, emailing lmcdonald2@wakefield.gov.uk or visit the website www.ruob.co.uk

Gold for Goodison

RYA PRESS RELEASE

19 August 2008

 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition

Laser gold for Goodison

Paul Goodison has won Laser class gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Qingdao today (Tuesday 19 August).

Four-time European champion Goodison, who finished fourth on his Olympic debut at Athens 2004, lead the fleet by 18 points going into today’s double points medal race meaning as long as the Brit did not finish 10th and last in the race and second-placed Swede Rasmus Myrgren win it, the Olympic crown would be Goodison’s.

Goodison made no mistake in sealing the biggest prize of them all in light winds, sailing the Swede to the back of the fleet at the start and pinning him there throughout the race, stopping Myrgren have any chance of reaching the front and threatening gold.

Goodison finished the race in ninth and Myrgren 10th for Goodison to be crowned Olympic champion with 63 points, eight points ahead of silver medallist Vasilij Zbogar (SLO) with Italian Diego Romero taking bronze. Myrgren finished sixth overall.  

Speaking immediately after the race, Goodison said: “It’s just absolutely amazing, it might not have been the best way to do it but with the conditions being so tricky, it was the best way of making sure of gold.

“It’s been a testing week but I hung in there and delivered yesterday, which made it a bit easier today.

“You come to every Olympic Games trying to do your best and fortunately this time I’m on top of the table. It just feels unbelievable and it’s going to take a while to sink in, it’s just amazing. With London 2012 just around the corner, it would be an amazing opportunity to represent Great Britain at an Olympic Games in Britain.” 
Goodison’s is Britain’s fourth sailing medal of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games with Ben Ainslie (Finn) and Yngling trio Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson winning gold on Sunday and Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield clinching 470 men’s silver yesterday (Monday).

Full report on the days’ racing to follow.

You can follow the racing online at www.rya.org.uk/beijing2008, where you will get updates from the dinghy park and the results as they come in, as well as the news from the Team GB camp. You can also leave messages of support for the team and your comments on the racing and Team GB’s prospects.

Young windsurfers sail into Humberside

Forty young windsurfers from all over Yorkshire, Humberside and Lincolnshire gathered at North Lincs & Humberside Sailing Club, Barton upon Humber on Saturday 14th June to compete in the first round of the RYA North Zone Team 15 Championship.

The hotly contested championship is for young windsurfers under the age of 16 to show their skills against each other and to win points for their club. There are four events in the north this year; this is the first – at North Lincs & Humberside Sailing Club – the second and third events are at Covenham Sailing Club on 5th July and 31st August and the final event in the regional competition is at Pugneys Country Park Sailing Centre, Wakefield on 21st September.

Read more here...

Welton Waters throb with high powered Hondas!

Young speedboat enthusiasts from as far away as Teesside, Leeds and Sheffield lined up at Welton Waters Sailing Club, near Hull, on Saturday 3rd May to compete for the title Honda RYA Youth RIB Yorkshire Regional Champion 2008. more...

North Zone victory at Eric Twiname
With Samantha Towers gaining 1st place out of 65 entries in the Topper fleet - fantastic result. Good results also for Kieran Hill and Hector Simpson in the Toppers and Oliver white/Eleanor Hide, Catherine & William Hide & Peter Sedgewick/Ewan Byers in the Mirrors. Full Y&Y report here.. and results here...

www.rya.org is the home of the National RYA website, it contains a huge ammount of information for anyone involved in sailing, from novice to Senior instuctor and beyond.