RYA/UKWA National Windsurfing Championships off to a flying start

by Matt Carter on 14 Sep 2014 More than 220 windsurfers took to the water at Rutland Sailing Club today (13 September) for the opening day of competition of the 2014 RYA/UKWA National Windsurfing Championships, a new event incorporating the RYA Team15 (T15) Champions Cup, and the RYA National Junior, Youth and Masters Championships.

After a short postponement on arrival to Rutland Water, the competitors soon revelled in a north-easterly 8-12 knots enabling the full schedule of races to be completed across seven of the eight windsurfing classes.

The 13 T15 windsurfing teams consisting of 91 junior competitors, all aged under 16, competing for the T15 Champions Cup raced across four different windsurfing classes, each with different sail sizes proportionate to their age and ability (3.5m, 4.5m, 5.8m, Techno 6.8).

The youngsters, who earned their places at this weekend’s event after a series of highly competitive regional heats, are up against the very best of their peers from across the country, trying to post the best individual results and assisting their team to contest for the overall T15 trophy.

In the 3.5m fleet Arun Brunskill opened his account in style, taking a clean sweep of race wins to cement his position at the top of the leaderboard. The West Kirby Warriors T15 sailor took all five race wins to open up an eight point cushion over second place Rafferty Read from the Oxford Zoomers. Putting in a strong showing for the Spray Sprites was Louis Walker who sits third overall.

Last year’s T15 Champions put in another impressive display in the larger 4.5m and 5.8m rigs. West Kirby Warriors T15 sailor Oliver Lloyd dominated three of the five races completed, and despite scoring an OCS in the fourth race of the day, the young windsurfing talent from the RYA West Zone sits top of the pile with eight points. James Bulson from the Croft Farm Flyers lies second while Ethan Moody, representing the Oxford Zoomers, finished his day in third.

In the 5.8 rig, Isaac Bradley-Baker continued the North West Zone’s fantastic start to these windsurfing Championships with two bullets to catapult him into the gold medal position. The Oxford Zoomers continue to battle at the top of the T15 table with Julian Tait notching a race win in the second race of the day to move him into second. Representing last year’s T15 Champions Cup bronze medal winners, Libby Rodgers from the Axbridge Animals, rounded off her first day of racing with an impressive race win to sit third overall.

Relishing the 8-12 knots of breeze on the furthest of the two race course areas was Zed Spencer-Milnes on the Techno 7.8 rig. The West Zone sailor scored three race wins and a third to open up a six point cushion over James Barnwell from the East Zone who is competing on the larger 8.5 rig. Leading the charge on the smaller 6.8 rig is Ben Tweedle from South Zone, while Axbridge Animals sailor Mollie Densley-Robins is the front runner in T15 competition.

Dan Wilson, the 2014 RYA Youth National Championship silver medallist, gave a masterclass in the RS:X windsurfing class clinching all four race wins in front of Lewis May in second and Cameron Coghill in third. In the larger Raceboard 9.5 class, Louis Morris and Robert Kent are tied on four points apiece after sharing two race wins each. Not enough breeze meant there was no racing for the Formula class.

Chris Blackburn, RYA High Performance Manager and RYA/UKWA National Windsurfing Championship Event Director, said: 'Today was a great first day of the 2014 RYA National Windsurfing Championships – we had in excess of 220 windsurfers racing on Rutland Water which was a fantastic sight! We’ve seen some very close racing within all of the fleets, with lots of smiling youngsters enjoying the great racing conditions we have had today.

'We’re looking forward to another great day of breeze and racing tomorrow, and expect the competition for the coveted Team15 Champions cup to hot up, with all to play for tomorrow when the Team15 National Champions for 2014 will be crowned.'

T15 was set up by the RYA to help make windsurfing more accessible and appealing to youngsters at a grass roots level. It delivers fun and informal training and competition opportunities which take place at T15 clubs all over the country for kids up to the age of 15. These are run weekly at minimal cost by specialist RYA qualified coaches and instructors.

For the full lists of results from today’s racing click here.

The teams competing at the 2014 RYA Team15 Champions Cup are:

Axbridge Animals (South)
Academy Allstars (South)
Kielder Kestrels (North Borderlands)
Derwent Devils (North Borderlands)
Oxford Zoomers (Midlands)
Croft Farm Flyers (Midlands)
Siblyabck Water Warriors (South West)
Polkerris Pirates (South West)
Pugneys Pirates (North East)
N Lincs Invaders (North East)
West Kirby Warriors (North West)
Hollingworth Hunters (North West)
Spray Sprites (South East)

To get involved with Team15 and locate your nearest local club visit www.team15.org.uk

For more information on the RYA Youth Racing programme please visit www.rya.org.uk/racing.