Competition was fierce on the third day of the 2011 RYA Volvo Youth Nationals yesterday (Wednesday 13 April 2011) – and adding to the importance of the day, the event played host to a royal audience, HRH The Princess Royal. The RS:X class is proving to be most exciting with Connor Bainbridge (WPNSA) delivering a world class performance with three race wins. However, after finishing the day with three bullets, Bainbridge sits in second place overall hot on the tail of Sam Sills (Roadford Lake) who has been consistent all week scoring a 2-2-2 on Wednesday.

Sills commented: “Today was a fantastic day of racing and I was able to pull together a run of consistent results. Posting firsts and seconds all week is very pleasing and I just hope to carry on doing what I’m doing.”

“It’s great having a seven point lead at the top but there’s still a long way to go and anything can happen. Connor is a good windsurfer and I’m sure it will be very close come Friday. I wish Connor and all the other windsurfers all the best.”

“HRH coming here is great and it’s nice to know that the Royal family support British sailing and windsurfing,” Sills said.

This week has been the first year international sailors have raced in the RYA Volvo Youth Nationals Championships and are so far providing stiff competition for the British sailors.

Georgia Schofield, NZL representative in the RS:X class, commented: “These championships are great apart from the lousy weather! The UK windsurfers are all really good and it is great for us to race against bigger fleets in a variety of conditions.”

She went on to say: “Sam and Connor are amazing and they are heaps better than the guys back home.  The standard of the British girls is also really good.”

For more information regarding the 2011 RYA Volvo Youth Nationals, to follow all the live action from the Championships via the official 2011 RYA Volvo Youth Nationals blog or to view the daily vodcast please visit www.ryaracingevents.org.uk