August 2021
It’s been summer of success for sailing! We’ve seen a huge amount of activity across the region as clubs and their members enthusiastically make the most of the season alongside the easing of pandemic restrictions, the staycation trend and GB’s superb Olympic medal haul!
Membership figures appear to have bounced back and clubs are busier than ever with both existing and new members as people seize the opportunity to get on the water.
We’ve had the highest return rate of any region for the 2021 RYA Club Membership Census, with the figures so far showing a really positive overview for our clubs in terms of participation in the sport. And while our British Sailing Team athletes have provided a phenomenal boost with their podium-topping performance in Tokyo, there have also been lots of inspirational events closer to home.
We’ve seen a number of class championships in the region, including the Musto Skiff National Championships at Sunderland YC, which saw a 62-strong fleet and praise from the class for both the club and its race team for hosting a superb event. We’re also looking forward to a sell-out RS400 Nationals at South Shields SC (23-27 August), the RS Tera Nationals at Filey SC (28-31st) and the 707 Northern Championships at Scarborough YC, September 4-5th.
It’s been brilliant to see class associations discovering all that the North East has to offer and choosing to run their championships from various clubs across the region!
The North East Cruiser Racing Association meanwhile has had a busy regatta and racing programme on the coast, and the North East & Yorkshire Youth Traveller Series (NEYTS) has provided encouragement for our young dinghy sailors, including those venturing into racing or away from their home club for the first time.
Junior sailors and their parents at Teesdale Sailing and Watersports Club have been among those engaged by this superb series and you can find out how the club made the most of taking part here. The penultimate event is at Filey SC on Saturday 11th September followed by the final open and prize giving a week later on 14th September at Yorkshire Dales SC. Take a look at the NEYTS website and get your club’s junior members involved if they aren’t already!
Get your nominations in
There are a variety of awards currently accepting nominations so take a look at the following links to see if your club or one of its volunteers or young sailors might be a worthy winner!
- RYA Volunteer Awards: Nominations now open for 2022, recognising volunteers of all ages for exceptional dedication to boating, whether helping to get people on the water or keeping your club on an even keel with their tireless efforts on shore.
- RYA and Yachts & Yachting Club of the Year Awards: Each club is unique with its own strengths and these awards are a chance to tell us what makes your club special! Could your club be in the spotlight as a finalist? Apply by 20th September 2021.
- RYA Musto Youth Awards: Celebrating the achievements of young people across the sport, including performance, volunteering, instructing, coaching and overcoming adversity. Nominations now open until 1st November 2021.
- JMST Awards for Junior Sailors: For aspiring racing sailors and windsurfers who would benefit from their own boat or board to help them develop their racing skills. Applicants must take part in the BYS Regional Junior Championships and the closing date is Monday 27th September 2021.
Regional Junior Championships
Entries are now open for the British Youth Sailing (BYS) North Regional Junior Championships at Derwent Reservoir SC over the weekend of 25th-26th September 2021, which will again include OnBoard, Regatta and Championship fleets to make this a festival of junior sailing for all skill levels from rookies to experienced racers.
There will also be a one-day BYS Windsurfing Regional Junior Championship on Saturday 18th September at Glossop SC, bringing together competitors from the North, Midlands and Wales. All the details are available at www.rya.org.uk/events/racing-events - please do encourage juniors and their parents at your club save the dates and enter!
Skills development for instructors and coaches
In addition to instructor and coach courses, we regularly run CPD (Continuous Professional Development) sessions which have proved popular and of great benefit to participants.
As illustrated in this recent RYA North East race coach CPD case study, opportunities for skills development for RYA Instructors and Race Coaches not only provide welcome additional know-how and ideas for delivering great sessions but also insights which participants have found useful for their everyday interactions at home and work.
Coming up over autumn and winter we’ll be running CPD sessions for OnBoard and Aspiring Instructors, plus a Race Coach Level 3 course. For details about all upcoming RYA North East courses, visit our hub for Instructor & Race Coach Courses or join our Facebook group for RYA NE Instructors & Coaches.
Follow us!
To keep up to date with all the latest news and updates for the region, remember to follow @RYANorthEast on Facebook and/or Twitter.
Until next time,
Sam.