SAILING NEWS
News 17
Scott
Leroy takes RYA
eases to
Spring
Series
Winter Challenge
success
WORLD number one Claire Leroy lived up to
NEWLY-CROWNED under
her billing as the clear event favourite as she
21 Finn World champion
produced a faultless display to regain the RYA
Giles Scott enjoyed a win-
Women’s Winter Challenge Match Racing
ning return to home waters as
Championship crown (22-24 February).
he cruised to RYA Olympic
Leroy, who was named the ISAF World Sailor
Classes Spring Series victory
of the Year in November following her World
at Weymouth and Portland
and European match racing titles in 2007, made
National Sailing Academy
light work of a world class field at Queen Mary
(23-24 February).
Sailing Club to tie up her third Championship
Scott ensured it was a dou-
victory without losing a race over the three days.
ble triumph for Skandia
The Frenchwoman won her first Women’s
Team GBR at the 2008 Finn
Winter Challenge Championship in 2005 and
World Championships in
successfully defended her crown the following
Australia last month as his
year before relinquishing the title last year as
14th place overall saw him
Finland’s Silja Lehtinen pulled off a superb
take the Finn Silver Cup,
Finals win.
awarded to the top under-21,
But this time it was Lehtinen, one of six of the
while Ben Ainslie won the
top 10 ranked females in world match racing
overall Gold Cup title (see
battling it out at Queen Mary, who was forced to
SN Page 11).
settle for second spot as Leroy’s immaculate
And the 20-year-old from
series left the rest of the field in her wake.
Tilbrook, Cambridgeshire
A tough opening day saw several of the sailors
made light work of the
finding themselves swimming in the icy waters of
WINNER: France’s Claire Leroy
challenging fleet at what was
Queen Mary as huge gusts from a range of direc-
2 Silja Lehtinen (FIN), Erica Backstrom,
the first of the two 2008 tions made conditions difficult.
Maria Kiemetz, Vivi Fleming-Lehtinen, Livia
Spring Series events, winning But the quality of the field shone through in the
Varesmaa
four of the six rounds, and end as World number nine Linda Rahm (SWE)
3 Linda Rahm (SWE), Helena Barne, Marie
finishing second and third in secured third spot.
O’berg, Lotta Harrysson, Annika Olsson
the other two to take victory Meanwhile, fourth place for Skandia Team
4 Lucy Macgregor (GBR), Annie Lush, Mary
by five points from second- GBR’s Lucy Macgregor ensured she finished the
Rook, Sue Monson, Sophie Esson
placed Scot Mark Andrews. top placed Brit at Queen Mary qualifying her to
5 Jenny Axhede (SWE), Nina Bake, Johanna
With the Spring Series represent Great Britain in the ISAF Nations Cup
Sarnia, Malin Svedmyr, Annika Carlunger
compulsory for all RYA later this year.
6 Camilla Ulrikkeholm (DEN), Christel Jappe
Olympic Development Leroy’s victory has now qualified her for the
Teglers, Nathalia Nyeland, Signe Fabricius
(ODS) and Transition (OTS) RYA Winter Challenge Match Racing Series
Eggenksen, Joan Vestergaard Hansen
squad members, squad mem- Grand Final at Queen Mary from Friday 7 –
7 Silke Hahlbrock (GER), Maren Hahlbrock,
bers Andrews and Andrew Sunday 9 March where the winners and runners-
Marian Rammed, Kerstin Schult, Jody Slater
Mills both took a win from up from all the Series qualifiers over this winter
8 Gemma Farrell (GBR), Lucy Burn, Imogen
Scott on their way to second are scheduled to battle it out for the overall title.
Wellington, Charlotte Laurence, Lauren Martel
and third overall while squad
9 Josie Gibson (GBR), Jo Ryley, Bex
teammate Ed Greig, 18th at RYA Women’s Winter Challenge Match
Marriot, Barbara Watson, Rachel Larman
the Finn Gold Cup, sailed Racing Championship final results:
10. Lotte Meldgaard Pederson (DEN),
home fourth. 1 Claire Leroy (FRA), Morgane Gautier,
Christina Refu, Inge Ebbensgoard, Kristina
Luke Patience and Chris Claire Peuvot, Elodie Bertrand, Marcie Riou
Stenstrom, Mia Nielson BEST OF BRITISH: Lucy Macgregor
Grube enjoyed an equally
straightforward weekend of
racing completing a clean
sweep of bullets for the first
five races to take the men’s
470 event, passing on the last
race of the series having
Boost for youth sailing
already wrapped up victory,
while Ally Martin, sailing
YOUTH sailing in England has sible to young people across develop these programmes by sailing or windsurfing for the first
with OTS Laser Radial sailor
received a significant funding boost England while also providing providing coaches and funding vol- time while Team15 is a windsurfer-
Rosie Chapman won the
with Sport England awarding the progression for those who want to unteer training. The provision of specific initiative that not only intro-
women’s 470 series by
Royal Yachting Association (RYA) further develop their skills and take training is vitally important in duces kids aged 15 and under to the
coming fifth overall.
an additional grant totalling £1.1 part in racing. ensuring the future success of clubs. sport but also provides skill devel-
Two-time Olympic medal-
million with the purpose of further Duncan Truswell, RYA Junior Clubs which provide easy access for opment and racing opportunities.
list Simon Hiscocks crewed
developing sailing and windsurfing Racing Manager, explained that the children and their families and also Volvo RYA Champion Clubs
John Pink to an easy 49er
for young people. grant, to be rolled out over the next deliver safe, well-structured and enable kids who want to take their
Spring Series victory, taking
Through increased support for the three years from 1 April 2008, pro- effective training will attract more sailing or windsurfing more serious-
four wins and a second in
RYA’s existing Volvo RYA vides a fantastic opportunity for members and generate revenue for ly to do so at a club that has made a
their five races before, like Champion Club, OnBoard and
clubs to swell their ranks and secure the club”. commitment to deliver safe, effec-
Patience and Grube, opting Team15 youth initiatives, the their long-term futures.
Victoria Lenz, Sailing tive racing and race training in the
out of the final race with vic- funding will enhance the provision He said: “This funding will be a Development Officer at the RYA RYA-recognised Junior classes.
tory already sealed. of junior and youth training, race real boon to youth sailing and wind- said: “With the extra funding from There are currently 86 OnBoard
OTS pairing Richard training and provide additional surfing in England. It will allow Sport England we will be able to clubs and centres, 61 Team15 clubs
Mason and Tom Peel took coaching and coaching resources even more clubs and centres to assist more clubs and centres in and centres and 139 Volvo RYA
second, enjoying their one throughout England. It will also launch youth training programmes establishing themselves as OnBoard Champion Clubs throughout the
series victory in race five, provide clubs with funding for the and engage with the OnBoard and centres and give even more children UK, offering sailing and windsurfing
with ODS duo Dylan crucial process of training and Team15 initiatives or become a the chance to not only try these opportunities for children of all ages
Fletcher and Alain Sign fin- developing volunteers. Volvo RYA Champion Club. great sports for themselves but and ability. For further information
ishing third. By supporting coaching and “It will also allow existing clubs develop their skills with dedicated about grant applications or how the
The second 2008 RYA volunteering at existing and poten- to enhance the quality of training coaching in a club environment.” new funding may be able to help
Olympic Classes Spring tial Volvo RYA Champion Clubs, they provide and enable additional As the RYA’s grassroots pro- your club contact James Tilley, RYA
Series event takes place at OnBoard and Team15 clubs and volunteers to become qualified. The gramme, OnBoard, launched in Champion Club Liaison Officer, at
Hayling Island Sailing Club centres, the funding will make funding aims to make it easier and 2004, provides kids from five to 16 james.tilley@rya.org.uk or call
on 10-11 May. sailing and windsurfing more acces- more cost-effective for clubs to with the ideal environment to try 07748 800808
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