Regional RYA RIB Challenge, 2009
New Young RIB Driving Talent Shines Through at East Midlands Powerboating Championship
Local lads Mark Sears, 12, from Nottingham and Marcos Griffiths 13, from Skeffington, proved themselves the East Midlands best young RIBsters on Saturday, 18th July when they each won the East Midlands Regional Final of the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship held at Rutland Watersports, Whitwell. Both youngsters were competing in the championship for the first time and beat RIBsters from all over the region to claim their victories and places at the National Final held at Southampton Boat Show in September.
In lightning speed Marcos Griffiths, racing in the 13-16 age group for his club Rutland Water Sports, knocked the competition right out of the water, posting a winning time of 1:20.13 which none of the competitors could get even close to. Second place Alex Hughes of Nottingham County SC put in a valiant effort finishing with a time a whole five seconds behind Marcos. He commented: “That was brilliant! I’m really excited to be representing my club at the final but I think the competition there will be much harder. I’m going to need to do a lot of training if I’m going repeat that performance!”
The 8-12 age group was extremely hotly contested with Tom Nelson of the 14th Gainsborough Scout Group in Lincolnshire right on Mark’s tail pushing his nerves right to the limit. Posting a time of 1.22.25, just nine hundredths of a second ahead of Tom’s time, Mark scooped his and his club Notts County SC’s victory by the skin of his teeth. He commented: “Wow that was really close, I’m so pleased I made it and I can’t wait to go to Southampton and represent my club.”
Split into two age groups 8-12 and 13-16, the event competitors take it in turn to race against the clock, completing a course of challenging manoeuvres including a stop exercise, high speed slalom and reversing. Skill and control, and not necessarily speed, are the most important factors which help the young drivers achieve good times round the course.
Winners of the National final in Southampton will take home to their clubs a brand new 4.8m Ribcraft RIB powerboat with a 50hp Honda four stroke engine on an Indespension trailer, equipped with an Icom 505 VHF radio. Martin Moll, Head of Marketing for event sponsor Honda, said: "We are very proud and pleased to be associated with the RYA Youth RIB Challenge for another year because it allows us to create links with the wider community - giving a younger generation access to our products and helping them engage with interactive, team based, social activities. Furthermore, as a manufacturer which puts safety at the heart of everything we do, the RIB Challenge gives us a great opportunity to underline this commitment."
Thanks to Championship sponsors Honda, Ribcraft, ICOM and Indespension Trailers. For more information about the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship, details on how to get involved and a list of regional finals scores visit RYA.
