Club Development Blog - May 2019

 

And there have been some great successes too, not least an Open Day at Llyn Brenig in North Wales which saw 114 visitors coming to see what the club has to offer.

With Push The Boat Out in full swing, there have been other promising schemes taking place round Wales as well.

There was a great Only Girls Afloat day on Sunday at Dovey Sailing Club. Perhaps the true spirit of sailing was summed up by 81-year-old Meryl, who was taking people out in her GP dinghy.

Tresaith Mariners were the first club in Wales out of the blocks with PTBO, rewarded with a double figure number taking part in their opening session on May 1st, with more to come through the month.

It was a similar story at Llandegfedd near Usk as few days later, again double figure numbers turned up to enjoy the day and they have strong advance bookings for the rest of their sessions through May.

If that is one end of the sailing spectrum, some venturing out on the water for the first time and others returning after a break, then the elite end has also been going strong in Wales.

Hannah Mills, Cardiff, and Eilidh McIntyre, Hayling Island SC, won the gold medal at Trofeo Princesa Sofia Iberostar in Palma in the Womens 470 class whilst Luke Patience, RYA Scotland, and Chris Grube, Bala SC, won the bronze medal in the Mens 470 class.

Penarth’s Matthew Whitfield defended his British Universities Match Racing title, winning a dramatic sudden death final race out of five, and also gained selection for the World Student Match Racing championships.

RYA Cymru Wales would also like to congratulate Welsh sailors selected for the British youth sailing teams and Youth Squads this summer.

Jamie Cook and Will Martin were the first U17 420 team at the RYA UK Youth Nationals. The Cardiff Bay pair have been selected for the 420 Under 17 Worlds Team to be sailed in Portugal and the 420 Under 17 Junior European Team to be sailed in Spain and have now gained a place in the RYA UK 420 Youth Squad.

Also selected to the Open 420 Worlds Team are Lucy Hughes/Josh Manning from Pwllheli SC and to the 420 Under 17 Worlds Team Sophie Edwards/Ellie Thomas from Tata Steel SC.

Elodie Edwards, Pwllheli SC, and Hannah Morris, Warsash, were second in the 29er girls at the Youth Nationals and selected for worlds support. They’ve also retained their place in the RYA UK 29er Youth Squad along with Hannah Roberts-Straw, Cardiff Bay YC, and Jess Nelson, Rutland SC.

Mila Monaghan, Cardiff Bay YC, retained her place in the RYA UK Laser Girls Youth Squad and Kai Wolgram, Llyn Brenig SC, has now been selected to the RYA UK Laser Boys Youth Squad.

Also in the junior sailing arena, Arwen Fflur, Pwllheli SC, finished 2nd girl at the Optimist World & European Selection Trials held in Weymouth over the May Bank Holiday and was selected to the GBR Optimist Team for the European Championships to be sailed in France.

Ellie Creighton, Cardiff Bay YC, has been selected to the GBR Development Team for the International Spinnaker Regatta to be sailed in Estonia. Finally Merle Nieuwland, Cardiff Bay YC, was 1st girl in the Optimist Fleet at the Eric Twiname Championships held at Rutland SC over the May Bank Holiday.