West Kirby Warriors

A hundred young windsurfers from nine teams across the UK, took to the water at Pitsford Reservoir this weekend (08-09 October) to compete in the 2011 Team15 Champions Cup, where the West Kirby Warriors from the West Zone clinched the victory.

After dominating throughout the season in their regional heats, the Warriors won their place in the final back in September. Despite fierce competition they continued to dominate at the national final and were delighted to lift the cup and be crowned this year’s Team15 champion of champions.

“I am really thrilled for the kids as they’ve worked so hard all year. They are the ones who really deserve it” commented Simon Moore who coaches the West Kirby Warriors.

“We are absolutely over the moon to have won first place and when you look at the smiles on the kids’ faces you can see just how much it means to all of us.”

Held at Northampton Sailing Club at Pitsford Reservoir, teams hailed as far afield as Scotland and Cornwall to compete for the title. The youngsters took to the water despite challenging conditions which included at times very little wind at all.

There were plenty of new faces at this year’s event including the North Zone’s Pugney’s Pirates who knocked out last year’s Champion Cup winners the North Lincs Invaders in their regional heats, and the Siblyback Water Warriors who also qualified for the first time.

The competitors whizzed around two courses in four different classes 3.5m, 4.5m, 5.8m and Techno 6.8m competing in nine different races and one fun race to round up the weekend.

RYA National Windsurfing Development Officer Gillian Wright who coordinates T15 said: “This year’s event has gone fantastically. We have seen some great races going on and the talent that can be seen out on the water is superb. It’s very exciting to see some new teams coming through and qualifying for the Champions Cup and there has been some really exciting battles going on throughout the weekend.”

Competitors, parents and local supporters also enjoying testing the Tushingham/Starboard and Neil Pryde demo kit which was available to try out throughout the weekend.

Winners the West Kirby Warriors picked up a BIC Techno board for their club which was presented by ex Team15er and member of the RYA Volvo RS:X Transitional Training squad, Adam Purcell. Other prizes were donated from Neil Pryde, Tushingham /Starboard and Boards Magazine.

Special merit awards were given to Oxford Zoomer Alice Read, Rowena Conway and Saskia Walsh from Norwich Force Eighth, Spray Sprite Bruce Partridge, Pitsford Pirate Zoe Bowen and Beth Mickel from the Loch Insh Monsters.

Tadhg Al-Hassan (11) from the Oxford Zoomers who was at the event for the first time said: “I would recommend windsurfing as a sport for other kids to do. It’s a lot of fun, you go fast, all you need is a board, and as long as there is water and wind you can go!

“My advice for other kids would be to learn one step at a time. Sooner or later you will find yourself with huge sails cruising along the water. It’s really fun! I’ve had a great weekend at the Champions Cup and I definitely want to come back next year”.

Supported by industry leaders Tushingham/Starboard, Boards magazine and Neil Pryde. T15 was set up by the RYA to help make windsurfing more accessible and appealing to youngsters at a grass roots level.

Fun and informal training sessions take place at T15 clubs all over the country for kids up to the age of 15, which are run weekly by specialist RYA coaches.

The T15 inter-club championship takes place regionally over the summer adding a competitive edge and race training for those keen to hone their skills.

Kit can be borrowed from the clubs and the cost of sessions is kept low.

To get involved with Team15 and locate your nearest local club visit www.team15.org.uk or contact the RYA 0845 345 0400.

Champions Cup 2011 Final Results

Racing at the Team15 Champions Cup

West Pennine Team15

There was very tight racing in all classes at the RYA T15 West Zone interclub, held on Saturday 09 July. This was the third of a four event interclub windsurfing series, and was hosted by Hollingworth Hunters at the West Pennine Sailboard Club, near Rochdale.

There were four teams competing from all over the Zone, from Windermere in the North to West Kirby in the West, and competition was very tight both between teams and within teams. Hosts Hollingworth were hoping for a best yet result on their home waters, in ideal conditions of medium winds which allowed nine races in the beginners’ 3.5 metre class, and seven longer races in the other three classes.

In the 3.5 metre class, there was tremendous three way competition between the teams, with the top three competitors separated by only two points. Ollie Mulhall of Windermere Rufwinds took the class, counting four race wins in his scoreline, after a great battle with Oliver Lloyd of West Kirby Warriors and Molly Howell of hosts Hollingworth Hunters, who took second and third places.

In the other three classes, competition was equally fierce, but it was mostly within the very strong West Kirby Warriors team. In the 4.5 metres, which attracted the best turnout of twelve sailors, West Kirby youngsters took all the top three places, with just a point separating the top three, as Oliver Eastwood edged it ahead of Sam Kelly and Frances McNab.

It was the same story in the 5.5 metres, with West Kirby’s Samson King leading a giant team performance, staying just ahead of team mates Will Mooney and George Kenny home.

In the Techno 6.8 metre class, West Kirby’s Charlotte Rutter beat team mate Isaac Bradley Baker for the first time ever to take the class, with Isaac second, while Sarah Jackson of Team Astbury this time broke up the West Kirby grip on the podium by taking third place.

Courtesy of the RYA’s Sail for Gold initiative, there were a couple of gold medals up for grabs in a final race, and Oliver Lloyd and Sam Kelly won gold in the 3.5 metre and 4.5 metre classes, both sailing for West Kirby.

Overall the strength of the overall West Kirby Warriors performance left little chance of a giant killing, and West Kirby duly took their third event victory of the year. On their home waters, Hollingworth Hunters were always in the hunt for second place, but eventually had to concede by just four points to Team Astbury, while Windermere Rufwinds took fourth.

The teams stayed on at West Pennine for a day of coaching the following day with RYA National Coach Ian Roberts, who said, “I’m most impressed with the standards, I’ve got plenty of talent to work with here!” RYA Regional Development Officer Sally Kilpatrick also enjoyed watching these top young windsurfers in action.

The final West Zone interclub will be at West Kirby on 17 September, and the series result will determine which club will go to represent the Zone at the RYA T15 Champions Cup in October.

Supported by industry leaders Tushingham/Starboard, Boards magazine and Neil Pryde, T15 was set up by the RYA to help make windsurfing more accessible and appealing to youngsters at a grass roots level.

Fun and informal training sessions take place at T15 clubs all over the country for kids up to the age of 15, which are run weekly by specialist RYA coaches.

The T15 inter-club championship takes place regionally over the summer adding a competitive edge and race training for those keen to hone their skills.

Kit can be borrowed from the clubs and the cost of sessions is kept low.

To get involved with Team15 and locate your nearest local club visit www.team15.org.uk or contact the RYA 0845 345 0400.

Sarah Jackson of Team Astbury

Six teams fielding 38 members came to Wigan for its first ever RYA Team15 (T15) interclub windsurfing event, on Saturday 18^th June. The event was the second round this year of the RYA T15 West Zone interclub championship, and was held at Scotsman’s Flash Watersports Centre, hosted by Wigan Youth Services supported by Wigan Sailing Club.

The teams came from all over the West Zone, from the Lake District in the North to Lancashire, Derbyshire and Cheshire in the South. One team, the West Kirby Warriors, was so big that some of their members had to be excluded from their maximum 15 person team, and entered as individuals, so not all of the West Kirby’s surfers’ scores could be counted towards the team trophy.

The young windsurfers, all aged 8 to 15 years old, competed in four different classes, with different sizes of sails, so all from beginners to experts could join in. The beginners’ class, with 3.5 metre sails, was the most popular, and the most closely contested.

Rosie Pearce, of Team Astbury, and Ollie Mulhall of Windermere Rufwinds scored equal points after taking three wins each, and could only be separated, in Rosie’s favour, on the tie break. Molly Howell of the Hollingworth Hunters took third as three teams put points on the board early. Two additional teams gained prizes, with Maya-Ray Cross of Scotty’s Piranhas and Shane Stott of Hollingworth Hunters both gaining Merit prizes at their first event, while Jack Matthews of Glorious Glossop took a Techno prize.

In 4.5 metres, there was another close contest, with Sam Kelly of West Kirby Warriors fighting off team mate Frances McNab, while Matthew Fleming of Windermere Rufwinds took third.

In the 5.8 metres, Will Mooney of West Kirby Warriors had the day’s best performance of all, taking all six races. He was followed home by Ben Stone of Team Astbury and Maddy Hughes of West Kirby.

Another Warrior gave a very impressive performance in the fastest class. Isaac Bradley Baker, aged just 11, used a small 5.8 metre sail in the Techno 6.8 m class, but beat all his elders, who were using the bigger sail. Mark Reynolds of Team Astbury took second, and Charlotte Rutter of West Kirby took third. However Isaac’s scores could not be included in his team’s total, as he was one of the excess team members, so Team Astbury gained that class win.

Last race of the day was a combined race for the 4.5, 5.8 and 6.8m boards with a Gold Medal, courtesy of the RYA’s Sail for Gold initiative, up for grabs. The slower boards were given a shorter course, and the faster ones had to chase them down. There was a thrilling finish on the final leg as the fleet of slow boards fought to stay ahead of the chasing pack. Sam Kelly of West Kirby, sailing a 4.5m board, just hung on to grasp the gold by seconds from the fast charging Isaac Bradley Baker.

In the event overall, West Kirby gained their second team win of the year, but by just four points from Team Astbury, who had scored well in three of the classes. Hollingworth Hunters took third, while in fourth, Windermere’s two person team both took podium positions.

RYA West Zone T15 organiser Mike Roberts said, “Wigan Sailing Club really did us proud here, laying on full use of their clubhouse, changing facilities and a galley. Another strong turnout and great sailing conditions made for a very memorable day. Everyone is looking forward to our next event at West Pennine Sailboard Club on 9^th July.”

Supported by industry leaders Tushingham/Starboard, Boards magazine and Neil Pryde, T15 was set up by the RYA to help make windsurfing more accessible and appealing to youngsters at a grass roots level.

Fun and informal training sessions take place at T15 clubs all over the country for kids up to the age of 15, which are run weekly by specialist RYA coaches.

The T15 inter-club championship takes place regionally over the summer adding a competitive edge and race training for those keen to hone their skills.

Kit can be borrowed from the clubs and the cost of sessions is kept low.

To get involved with Team15 and locate your nearest local club visit www.team15.org.uk or contact the RYA 0845 345 0400.