Update: RYA Youth Nationals

Today marks day four of the RYA Youth National Championships in Pwllheli.  

Following a review of today's conditions and available resources, the competition has continued from 12pm (Thursday 17 April). Safety of our competitors and volunteers will always remain top priority and we continue monitoring conditions throughout the course of the event, working with trained meteorologists and safety experts.   

We’d like to acknowledge and thank all on-site staff, volunteers, and emergency services for their swift and coordinated response following yesterday’s incident (16 April) which took place at 13:30 when a sudden and rapid weather change resulted in high winds.

RYA Safety Teams enacted their strong winds procedures to recover all the sailors to shore with the majority returning safely thanks to the rapid and professional efforts of the team. Within the 29er fleet, 16 capsized sailors were removed from their boats and brought to shore without injury.

We can confirm one adult safety crew volunteer sustained a head injury during the rescue efforts and was taken to hospital for treatment and monitoring. We are pleased to confirm that they have now been discharged. All vessels except for one have now been recovered from the water. 

We are providing continued support to all individuals affected by the incident and reviews are in process to identify areas of learning.   

Despite this incident, spirits remain high, and we praise all sailors, staff, and volunteers who have demonstrated remarkable resilience and unity — a reflection of the community values our sport. 

Special thanks go to Aberech Holiday Sands for their help in recovering boats, and to the Coastguard Rescue Teams from Criccieth and Abersoch, the RNLI Pwllheli Inshore and All-Weather Lifeboat Crews who were on the scene.