Get set for the Midlands BYS Regional Junior Championships
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Entries are now open for the events taking place at Carsington SC for junior sailors over the weekend of 25-26th September, and at Glossop SC for windsurfers on Saturday 18th September.
The BYS Regional Junior Championships are a highlight of the year for participants and aim to be fun and inclusive for all abilities from rookies to experienced racers.
Tim Hall, Regional Performance Manager for the Midlands, said: “We have lots to celebrate after last year, when many events were affected by either Covid restrictions or adverse weather conditions, so we’re really looking forward to the return of this annual festival.
“It will be a great opportunity for our young sailors and windsurfers to get on the water with friends, develop their skills, show us what they can do if they’re racing, and of course have a good time!”
In addition to the usual Championship, Regatta and OnBoard fleets, Midlands junior sailors will also have a General Handicap fleet and a Sailability fleet at Carsington SC in an exciting new development for this year to make the event even more inclusive.
BYS Regional Junior Championships will take place at venues across five England regions plus the three Home Countries of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales during September.
Along with prizes for event winners, there will be a range of prizes for sailors exhibiting British Youth Sailing Values and Behaviours and showing a passion for the sport.
Take a look at our at-a-glance guide below and for details about the BYS Regional Junior Championships, including Notice of Race and entry for all of the events, visit www.rya.org.uk/events/racing-events
MIDLANDS FACT FILE
Where can I find further information? All the advance details you need can be found in the Notice of Race for each event. You will also need to read the Sailing Instructions after you have entered, which provide further information about what your sailor or windsurfer needs to know. All event documents can be found under the relevant event heading here.
When are the BYS Regional Junior Championships? The Midlands event for junior sailors takes place at Carsington SC over the weekend of 25-26th September 2021. The event for windsurfers is at Glossop SC on Saturday 18th September 2021.
Who can enter the Midlands championship? Details and entry for the event for junior sailors at Carsington SC can be found here and the fleets will be as follows:
- OnBoard: Ideal for newcomers to sailing just starting out at their clubs after taking Stage 1&2 courses and aged under-13. Led by RYA instructors with lots of ‘games with aims’ – participants can bring their own boat or use a boat provided by the host venue, making it super-easy to take part!
- Regatta: For less experienced racers, this fleet is for those who can sail around a triangle course and want to develop their racing skills with support from BYS coaches. The coached regatta fleet is for under-16s in the following RYA Junior Pathway Classes: Optimist, Topper, Tera Sport, RS Feva XL (no spinnaker).
- Championship: For experienced racers and also a must-do indicator event for those wishing to be considered for selection to the BYS Regional Training Groups 2021-22. The Championship fleet is for the following RYA Junior Pathway classes: Optimist, Topper (5.3 & 4.2), RS Tera Sport and RS Feva XL. Competitors aged under-16 on 31st December 2021, or U17 in the RS Feva XL.
- General Handicap: Championship racing for junior sailors in any other class of boat.
- Sailability: Working with Carsington Sailability, RYA Midlands is pleased to have been able to introduce Hansa class boats for junior sailors for 2021, as part of the General Handicap fleet.
How do ILCA 4 and Cadet sailors take part? For ILCA 4 and Cadet sailors from the Midlands region, there will be championship fleet racing at the RYA East event at Grafham Water, 26-27th September 2021, entry here.
BYS Regional Junior Windsurfing Championships: Following consultations with windsurfers and coaches looking at how to grow participation and provide quality racing, there will be three standalone BYS Regional Junior Windsurfing Championships in England, with an event for windsurfers from the Midlands, North and Wales taking place at Glossop SC, Saturday 18th September. The event website can be found here and the fleets will be as follows:
- Main Fleet: Fleet racing on Techno boards 4.5, 5.8, 6.8, 7.8 for competitors under-17 on 31st December 2021. A selection event for the Bic Techno - under 16 Regional Training Group.
- OnBoard Fleet: Fun games with aims, type sessions for any suitable windsurfing board with maximum rig size of 4.5. Target age for competitors, under-13 on 31st December 2021.
How do I enter? Entry for the BYS Regional Junior Championships is now open here and the deadline for entering will be 12th September (Windsurfers) and 19th September (Dinghies).
JOHN MERRICKS SAILING TRUST
Do you know a deserving young sailor or windsurfer who will be taking part in the BYS Regional Junior Championships and would benefit from their own boat or board to help them develop their racing skills?
John Merricks Sailing Trust (JMST) will again be awarding a boat or board to at least one promising young sailor or windsurfer from each England and Home Country region.
The awards will be made to those who display enthusiasm, drive, talent and commitment to the sport and who may not ordinarily have the opportunity or financial backing to achieve their goals, and will give the recipients two years of exclusive use of their own boat or board donated by the Trust, after which they will be gifted to their club so other young sailors can benefit in the future.
Applications are now open. Find out more about the JMST scheme here.