Ones to watch at the 2018 RYA Youth National Championships: Part 2
by Richard Aspland 23 Mar 2018 08:05 PDT
30 March - 6 April 2018
Daisy Collingridge at the 2017 Youth Worlds © Jesus Renedo / Sailing Energy / World Sailing
With the 2018 RYA Youth National Championships in Largs, Scotland, just over week away, sailors from across the country are gearing up to take a tilt at the eight titles on offer.
The UK's premier youth sailing event will welcome 243 sailors to the Scottish sailing hot spot from 30 March to 6 April, returning to the venue of the 2013 edition.
And the action will take place in front of royalty with Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal confirmed to attend on Thursday 5 April.
World champions, returning Youth Nationals winners and first timers will be among the entries as well as a host of sailors getting their first taste of Youth Nationals action. There is even an equipment debut with the Nacra 15 multihull racing in a dedicated fleet for the first time.
29er Open
The form team coming in to the 2018 Youth Nationals are Ewan Wilson and Fin Armstrong (Wormit Boating Club/RTYC). The pair stand top of the 29er rolling rankings after a string of impressive regatta wins. From five ranking events Wilson and Armstrong have won three from the three they have competed in.
Second in the rankings are Henry Jamieson and Toby Atherton (Hayling Island SC/Gurnard SC) who have five top five finishes, showing their consistency from regatta to regatta, and will be looking to topple Scotsman Wilson and Armstrong in Largs.
James Hammett (HISC) won the 2017 Youth Nationals and returns to defend his title. Hammett however has to try and keep hold of his crown with new partner Piers Nicholls.
Junior sailors Pierce Harris and Alfie Cogger (Windermere School) have been impressing finishing high up in the standings at the ranking events and currently sit sixth, a remarkable 28 places ahead of their nearest junior rivals, so expect to see the young guns right in the middle of the action in Largs.
The top mixed team are Iain Bird and Anna Rowe (HISC/Island Barn Reservoir SC) who want to throw their hat in the ring among a competitive fleet of predominantly male double handers. 21 of the 25 skiff fleet are male pairings.
29er Girls
Freya Black and Millie Aldridge (HISC/Parkstone YC) are coming into the Youth Nationals off the back of a win at the 29er EuroCup in Barcelona, Spain. The girls claimed second spot overall, in a competitive fleet of strong European sailors, but took gold in the girls section.
Strong competition will come from 2017 champions Bella Fellows and Anna Sturrock (Loch Tummel SC/Royal Tay YC) who also had the honour of representing their country at the Youth Worlds in Sanya, China, where they finished in sixth place.
Another team to watch out for will be top ranked juniors Elodie Edwards and Amy Bale (Clwb Hwylio Pwllheli SC/South Caernarf). The Welsh team will be aiming to showcase their future credentials among the 13 boat fleet.
420 Open
There will be 17 boats on the 420 Open start line in Largs and the most recent Spring Championship gives a good indication of the teams to look out for.
Ross Thompson (Loch Tummel SC & Royal Tay YC/Frensham Pond SC) was the winning crew in 2017 and that took him to Sanya, China, for the 2018 Youth Worlds. To repeat the feat he will be relying upon new helm Niamh Harper. But, if the Spring Championships is anything to go, he could be gracing the waters of Corpus Christi, USA, at the 2018 Youth Worlds. Harper and Thompson were in blistering form taking five race wins out of six.
Jack Lewis and Charlie Bacon (Draycote Water SC) may be juniors but they took second in the Spring Championship, claiming the one win that Harper and Thompson couldn't take for a whitewash. It will be interesting to see if the young dinghy sailors can push their older rivals in Scottish waters.
Harper is a strong Scottish medal hope in the 420 and Calum Bell and Josh Hale (Helensburgh/Loch Lomond/Loch Venachar) will be hoping home waters will also grace them with a good result.
420 Girls
Taking third in the Spring Championship, Vita Heathcote and Milly Boyle (Royal Lymington YC) were the highest placed all female team and will have confidence going in to racing in the 13 boat fleet. The pair showed consistency finishing above a host of mixed and all male teams.
Club mates Charlotte Boyle and Georgia Baker (Royal Lymington YC) are another team who sailed well in the Spring Championship finally finishing in ninth position. Again, in a regatta with mixed crews the pair will fancy their chances to take the Girls title in Largs. Look out for an inter-club contest for the 420 Girls title.
Racing at the 2018 RYA Youth National Championships begins on Monday 2 April through to Friday 6 April in Largs, Scotland.