Royal Yachting Association to seek new partner for National RYA Youth RIB Championship

National RYA Youth RIB Championship © Paul Wyeth

The Royal Yachting Association is to seek a new partner to sponsor its RYA Youth RIB Championship, a national championship in which 8 - 16 year old Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) drivers demonstrate their skills with the goal of winning a RIB for their club.

After 17 hugely successful years of working in partnership with Honda as the title sponsor of the event, the RYA has extended its gratitude to the team at Honda for the considerable dedication they have demonstrated as a long-term supporter of the event.

Looking forward to the 2020 RYA Youth RIB Championship, the organisers are seeking a new partner to build on the successful history of this event and to ensure that it continues to grow as Britain's leading programme introducing youngsters to powerboats and training them to be safe, proficient drivers and excellent boat handlers.

There will a break from the event in 2019 to allow the RYA to meet with potential partners and to engage with the past and future young competitors on how they would like to see the championship shaped in the years to come.

Through its affiliated clubs, organisations and training centres, the RYA has successfully run the popular national RIB championship in Rigid Inflatable Boats for juniors/youths since 2002. Clubs, organisations and training centres wishing to participate hold local heats, at their premises, to determine who they put forward to their Area Finals.

The winners of the Area Finals in each age group (8-12 years and 13-16 years) then take part in a National Final at the Southampton Boat Show.

The competition takes the form of a time trial around a set of marks the fastest time wins. The slalom buoys are set 12.5m apart so that skill and control, and not necessarily speed, are the most important factors. Each competitor has two runs, one as a practice and one as a 'hot lap'. Both runs are timed and the fastest time put forward.

At the Area Finals, medals, certificates and other prizes are presented for the first, second and third places in each age group. At the National Final the winners of the 8-12 and the 13-16 age groups win a RIB for their club, organisation or training centre. Medals, certificates and other prizes are also presented to those who reach the podium in each age group.

The winner of the 'head to head' also wins a perpetual trophy for their Club and a prize for themselves.

For more information on sponsorship opportunities for the 2020 RYA Youth RIB Championship, please contact the organisers at youthrib@rya.org.uk

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