Port of Plymouth Regatta

by Port of Plymouth Regata on 8 Aug 2010 Sixteen-year-old Ryan Proctor won a rookie sailing event for youngsters who were new to racing, during the Port of Plymouth Regatta last week (28 - 31 July).

Ryan, who attends Stoke Damerel Community College and is a member of Horizons, has been sailing for two years through the OnBoard scheme that introduces children of all backgrounds and abilities to the sport. He said: 'It was difficult, as five of us all won races, and anyone could have won.'

The event, hosted by Plymouth Youth Sailing at the Mount Batten Centre, involved youngsters from six Plymouth sailing clubs - Plymouth Youth Sailing, Yealm Yacht Club, Mount Batten Centre, Torpoint Mosquito Sailing Club, Horizons Children’s Sailing Charity and Tamar River Sailing Club.

During the afternoons, the children aged between 9 and 17, all of whom started their sailing with OnBoard, were offered race coaching by Lyn Billows, ex-Topper national squad sailor, together with Plymouth Youth Sailing. They then took part in the evening sailing event, which mimicked the main 50-boat regatta and gave them a flavour of big event racing.

Six extra dinghies were supplied for the children by Topper. In perfect weather, the youngsters began with basic triangle courses in the sheltered waters of the Cattewater, but as the week progressed the courses changed to trapezoid and sailing eventually took place out in Plymouth Sound next to the main dinghy fleet.

Organiser and OnBoard Development Officer Stuart Jones said: 'It was great to see young people from many different Plymouth clubs getting together, and also to see volunteers helping as well, even if their clubs’ young people were not involved.

'The coaching worked out extremely well - there was a noticeable improvement in the young people’s sailing and racing skills by the end of the regatta.'

Iona Ferguson, 9, from Torpoint Mosquito Sailing Club, was the youngest participant and was recognised as the most improved sailor at the event.

Lydia Johnson, 10, said: 'My sailing has got so much better and I’ve made new friends.' Fifteen volunteers assisted with the event; some of those who helped with the afternoon coaching went on to sail with the main fleet.

Run by the RYA, OnBoard is a grass roots programme which introduces sailing and windsurfing to young people aged 8 to 18, through schools, youth groups and training centres.

Over a ten year period OnBoard aims to introduce a minimum of 500,000 children to sailing and windsurfing in the UK, converting over 10% of them into regular participants. So far it’s nicely on track. For more information about how to get involved in sailing visit the RYA’s website www.rya.org.uk or the OnBoard website www.ruob.co.uk.