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.

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. The club with the most points at the end of the series becomes the North Zone Team 15 Champion Club and goes on to compete with all the other regional winners to become Team 15 UK Champion Club 2008.

In a day of mixed winds, some fantastic results were posted by the young windsurfers, many of whom were competing in their first windsurfing tournament. Some of the best scores came from 10 year old Mathew Carey from Halifax (Pugneys Pirates) who scored six firsts out of nine races in the 3.5m class and 11 year old Reuben Lansley from Barton upon Humber (North Lincs Invaders) who scored six firsts out of seven races in the 4.5m class. A special mention should also go to 9 year old Harry Davis from Barton upon Humber who did well in the 3.5m class (scoring three 5th places), despite having windsurfed for only five weeks and being a member of the North Lincs Invaders team for less than a week!

There were some great family rivalries too; not least Matthew and younger brother Josh Carey from Halifax (Pugneys Pirates) who came 1st and 4th overall in the 3.5m class; 11 year old Emma Laybourne from Barrow upon Humber (North Lincs Invaders) won the 5.5m class with younger sister, 9 year old Sarah coming 7th in the 3.5m class. Brothers Jack (15yrs) and Harry Maw (12yrs) from Louth (Covenham Cyclones) continued their Team 15 campaign by coming 2nd in the 6.8m class and 6th in the 5.5m class.

Races in the 5.5m class were very competitive with Emma Laybourne (North Lincs Invaders) and Abigail Wilson (Pugneys Pirates) swapping first and second places throughout the event; with Emma eventually winning by 4 points. The most outstanding results of the day were posted by Team 15 “veteran”, 15 year old Nick Durham from Doncaster (Pugneys Pirates) who won all 7 races in the 6.8m open class.

Finally, after an exciting and unpredictable day the final results (to 3rd place) in each class were as follows:

3.5m class

1.         Matthew Carey                        Halifax                                     Pugneys Pirates

2.         Jordan Howram                      Barton upon Humber              North Lincs Invaders

3.         Jack Lennon                            Roxby                                      North Lincs Invaders

4.5m class

1.         Reuben Lansley                      Barton upon Humber              North Lincs Invaders

2.         Tom Harding                           Guisley                                    Pugneys Pirates

3.         Rowan Hardy                          Wakefield                                Pugneys Pirates

5.5m class

1.         Emma Layborne                     Barrow upon Humber             North Lincs Invaders

2.         Abigail Wilson                         Rotherham                              Pugneys Pirates

3.         Emma Brown Bolton              Tadcaster                                Pugneys Pirates

6.8m class

1.         Nick Durham                           Doncaster                               Pugneys Pirates

2.         Jack Maw                                Louth                                       Covenham Cyclones

3.         Mark Sutton                             Howbrook                                Pugneys Pirates

6.8m Techno class

1.         Joe Dickinson                         Covenham                              Covenham Cyclones

2.         Beth Plaskett                           Louth                                       Covenham Cyclones

Overall Team winners – Pugneys Pirates