September 2021
Bookings are now open for this year’s RYA Affiliated Clubs Conference and this new-style event – with both an online and in-person event – is looking as ever to be a great way for our clubs to network and get set for the year ahead.
Double Olympic gold medallist and broadcaster Shirley Robertson will be returning this year to host the national online evening on Monday 8th November 2021, and this will be followed by our own RYA North East event at Catterick Race Course near Richmond in North Yorkshire.
I’m hoping this central location for our RYA region will be accessible for clubs across both Yorkshire and the North East and am really looking forward to being able to catch up with you all in person rather than over Teams, Zoom or an online platform!
The conference is ideal for anyone involved in managing your club and its activities, including committee members, flag officers, staff and volunteers, and it will be a chance for us to share and explore new ideas. You can book for the RYA Affiliated Clubs Conference and our associated regional event here. Please do remember to register, I’m looking forward to seeing you there!
Welcome to our new SDOs
I’m pleased to announce we have two new RYA Sailing Development Officers for the region, both of whom will be working with clubs across the region and bringing a wealth of experience to the role.
Micky Early, who is based in Hartlepool, will be working to inspire children into sailing as part of the exciting Bluescapes and Seascapes projects in the North East, which aim to encourage maritime and environmental engagement along the Tyne to Tees coastline. This initiative is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and will enable more than 300 children to enjoy getting on the water through RYA OnBoard while also learning about conservation with The Green Blue.
Also joining the regional team as an RYA Sailing Development Officer will be Paul Adams, former Assistant Manager and Principal at London’s Queen Mary Sailing Club, who will be based near York and coordinating instructor courses and CPD and supporting our OnBoard instructors. Both Micky and Paul will each be working two days a week and I am sure you will all join me in welcoming them to the regional team.
Regional Junior Championships
It’s been great to see entries coming in for the British Youth Sailing (BYS) North Regional Junior Championships at Derwent Reservoir SC over the weekend of 25th-26th September 2021, across the OnBoard, Regatta and Championship fleets.
All the details are available at www.rya.org.uk/events/racing-events and taking part is a must-do for those who would like to be considered for this winter’s Regional Training Groups. The deadline for entering is this Sunday 19th September 2021.
More than 100 young sailors are already registered so it’s going to be a really fun event with great racing and learning and something for everyone. Please do encourage your club’s junior sailors to take a look at the details and take part!
Youth & Junior Awards
For youth and junior sailors who have gone the extra mile with their sailing there are still two awards open for nominations. The JMST Awards are 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 27th September 2021.
The RYA Musto Youth Awards meanwhile celebrate achievements across the sport, including for performance, volunteering, instructing, coaching and overcoming adversity. If you would like to see a deserving youth sailor recognised for their efforts or giving back to the sport, you can nominate for these awards until 1st November 2021.
North East Youth Championships
The Big One! aka the North East Youth Championships, will be returning to Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club for this event’s traditional calendar date over the bonfire night weekend 6-7 November 2021 – with a warm welcome as ever complete with fireworks and, I hear, a hot tub on the patio!
This event is open to ILCA, RS Aero, RS200, 29er and 420 sailors aged 14-22 from across the region and beyond, so please do share the details with youth sailors at your club and with any friends you have across the country in the invited classes. For more information and to enter visit: yorkshiredales.sc/ne-youth-champs-21
Remember, you can keep up to date with all the latest news and updates for the region by following @RYANorthEast on Facebook and/or Twitter.
Until next time,
Sam.