RYA Regional Youth Champion Awards announced

by Susie NationGrainger / RYA on 23 Feb 2017 Ten promising young sailors and windsurfers from across the United Kingdom have been revealed as winners of the 2017 RYA Regional Youth Champion Awards.

Each of the regional and home countries winners will receive a trophy at the official awards presentation, taking place on Sunday 05 March at the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show 2017. The awards will be presented by the British Sailing Team’s Ben Saxton who competed at the Rio 2016 Games.

Created in 2014, the RYA Regional Youth Champion Awards recognise the outstanding achievement and performance of young people across the range of activities the RYA represents, including sailing, windsurfing and powerboating.

Winners this year include Youth World Champions in the 29er class Tom Darling (Southern Region) and Crispin Beaumont (Midlands region) who won Gold at the Youth Sailing World Championships in December.

Windsurfer Sam Williams has been named London and South East RYA Regional Youth Champion after progressing from regional Team15 events to compete at national UKWA and RYA events, finishing his season as the inland series overall winner.
RYA Regional Youth Champions 2017:
Eastern: William Pank
London and South East: Sam Williams
Midlands: Crispin Beaumont
North East: Ellie Clark
North West: Sam Cooper
Southern: Tom Darling
South West: Finn Hawkins
Wales: Daniel Whiteley
Northern Ireland: Liam Glynn
Scotland: Andrew Brown

RYA Director of Sport Development Alistair Dickson said: “We’re delighted to recognize the achievements of these sailors and windsurfers who have all shown lots of hard work, sacrifice and determination to the sport.

“The Awards also help to emphasize the endless support of our many volunteers who work so hard at the club level to give our sailors the best possibly start to their future sailing careers.”