The Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship, supported by ICOM UK , was off to a flying start as young sport-boats enthusiasts competed in the first local heats of 2008. Welton Waters Sailing Club, near Hull, was the first venue this year to host the event, on Saturday 3rd May. The Championship is a test of speed and boat handling, and Saturday’s race kicked off the search to find this year’s champion.

There are two categories: junior – aged 8 to 12 years; and youth – aged 13 to 16 years. The winners of the heats will go on to compete in the regional finals, with the hope of reaching the National finals held at the Southampton boat show in September.

The fabulous prize for the winners is a brand new RIBCRAFT 4.8m RIB. This will be complete with a trailer, fitted with a Honda outboard engine and IC-M505s VHF/DSC Transceivers from ICOM UK (Ltd) for use by the winner’s chosen club.

The winner of the junior group was 11 year old Ross Flemming from Welton Sailing Club. Ross’s winning time was a blistering 1 min 38.9sec; which would have been good enough for him to have been placed in fifth place in the youth class had he been older! Ross, who comes from Kippax in Leeds and attends Brigshaw High School, had never driven one of these boats before the event.

The Youth class was won by 16 year old Chris Owen-Hughes from Yarm in North Yorkshire, a member of Scaling Dam Sailing Club.

Both boys will now spend the summer practising and training before travelling down to the National Final in September.

The next regional final takes place in the Eastern region at Paxton Lakes, Cambridgeshire on Saturday 17 May.