Young powerboaters from across the London and South East will hit the water for the area final of the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship at Medway Yacht Club, Lower Upnor, on 8 July.

The event will see finalists from area heats do battle, with the winners in two age groups, 8-12 and 13-16, going through to the national final held at the Southampton Boat Show in September. There they will be up against other area finalists from across the UK.

Club Commodore Colin Weston says: “The Championship is a great event to encourage youngsters to demonstrate their power boating skills. It helps them to develop to become expert boat handlers and focuses on safe and controlled boat handling skills. Each competitor aims to manoeuvre around a pre-set course in the quickest time. We look forward to welcoming competitors to Medway Yacht Club.”

Steve Morris, Head of Power Equipment for Honda (UK) comments: “We are pleased to continue our long and successful partnership with the RYA in supporting the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship in its sixteenth year.

“Honda and our boat partner Highfield are delighted to support the RYA in its endeavours to motivate and encourage young people to develop their skills and to promote safe and responsible racing through this unique and exciting championship.”

The Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship, sponsored by Honda and Highfield, is a National Championship in which 8 – 16 year old Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) drivers can demonstrate their skills with the goal of winning a Highfield 460 or a Honwave T40 for their club. It is Britain’s leading programme introducing kids to powerboats and training them to be safe, proficient drivers and excellent boat handlers.

RIBs are light, manoeuvrable craft and the boats driven in the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship can hit speeds of up to 25mph

For more information about the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship visit www.rya.org.uk/go/hondayouthrib

For further information about the Medway event and to enter please contact the event organisers Henry Chung Henry Chung, [email protected] or Ian Glass, [email protected] or the club office [email protected] ”

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