Young Sailors Excel at Norfolk Youth Event

With the British Youth Sailing Regional Junior Championships taking place at the end of the month, it’s a great time to be recognising the region’s young sailors.

14 Sep 21

On Saturday 04 September, some 100 young sailors gathered at Norfolk Broads Yacht Club in Wroxham for the Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association’s Broadland Youth Regatta, a celebration of youth sailing on the Broads. Now in it’s 27th year, it made a welcome return to the water after a break in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As an event encouraging sailors of all abilities, from those just starting out in racing to those having competed all over the country and further afield, the ethos of the event was about getting young people out on the water enjoying themselves, and that is exactly what it achieved.

With seven clubs and participants hailing from across the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, not only were they racing individually, but in teams too – racing in a variety of different craft from traditional Broads boats such as the Norfolk Dinghy through to pathway classes, including Toppers, Optimists and Lasers. After four races across four fleets it was host Club Norfolk Broads Yacht Club who won the event overall, ahead of Snowflake Sailing Club second, and Horning Sailing Club third. For many of the young sailors it was their first time sailing away from their home club, and a friendly, fun introduction to doing so.

For any young sailors who are keen to progress their sailing and ready to take part in an external event, the British Youth Sailing Regional Junior Championships will provide a great opportunity to do so. This event will be held at Grafham Water on 25/26 September. The Championship Fleet will comprise of Optimists, Toppers, RS Teras (Sport Rig), RS Fevas XL and ILCA 4s. There will also be a Regatta Fleet and an OnBoard Fleet with an emphasis on fun and games. The event as a whole is a festival for all junior sailors, from those who are learning to sail in club boats through to squad sailors in recognised junior classes. With the three different fleets there should be something for everyone. For more information and to enter (by 19 September) visit https://www.rya.org.uk/racing/british-youth-sailing/events/british-youth-sailing-regional-junior-championships

If you’d like to find out more about how to get out on the water and start your sailing adventure, visit https://www.rya.org.uk/start-boating