Abi Oliver wins RYA Dinghy Show Start Sailing competition

by Susie NationGrainger on 20 Jun 2013 13 year old Abi Oliver from Chiswick has been crowned winner of the RYA Dinghy Show 2013 Start Sailing competition and claims the ‘winner takes all’ mega prize package.

Abi was crowned the winner after correctly answering the competition question of who is the most successful British Olympic sailor - Sir Ben Ainslie and writing a tie breaker that the judges thought was the best from more than 500 entries. Abi’s tie breaker answer to; ‘Why do you want to get into sailing’ was- ‘because you can learn new skills and explore new places using a different and more unusual type of transport. Also it’s fun!’

Abi’s bumper prize haul included a star prize of a brand new Topper Worlds Race4.2m dinghy with full Harken race rig, worth around £2,950, courtesy of Topper International, alongside a whole host of other amazing prizes:

• Deck Shoes from Deck Shoes Unlimited
• Gul Wetsuit
• Spray top from Suntouched Sailboats
• A two day RYA Dinghy Level/ Stage 1 Course from SWAC (Southampton Water Activity Centre)
• Gloves from Azure Wear

RYA:

o RYA Start Sailing DVD (DVD 11)
o RYA Start Sailing Book (G3)
o RYA National Sailing scheme syllabus and Logbook (G4)
o Pocket Guide to Knotts (G60)
o A free one year RYA Family membership

• A year’s free subscription to Yachts & Yachting Magazine

Rooster:

o Boots
o Wet Socks
o Polypro Top
o Aqua Fleece
o Neoprene shorts

• Ben Ainslie Signed Autobiography 'Close to the Wind'
• £50 Voucher from the Official Oakley Outlet
• Andark- Crewsaver Kite Buoyancy Aid
• A year’s Junior membership to Datchet



'I didn’t realise how many prizes there were, I can’t wait to get it all home to have a proper look at and try it all on,' commented Abi, who was completely blown away by all the prizes she had won.

'I think my Dad would like to have been the winner, he keeps looking to see if anything will fit him!'

Jon Manners, Sales Manager at Topper International, joined the team from the RYA at the prize giving, held at Datchet Watersports (06 June), to present the star prize and take Abi and her new boat out for their maiden voyage.

'The ‘Start Sailing’ competition was part of the ‘New to Sailing’ area at the 2013 RYA Dinghy Show', explained RYA Shows Manager, Helen Waterhouse. 'The idea of the area was to give people coming to the show who were just getting started in the sport or looking to find out more, the chance to chat with the experts about the best boats to learn in, what to wear, where to find a course and much more, as well as the opportunity to win everything they needed to get started in the competition.'

To find out more about the RYA Dinghy Show, click here