It was the RYA’s South Zone who walked away basking in the winners glory today (9 May) as the 2010 RYA Eric Twiname Championships came to a close on Rutland Water. Following the bitter disappointment of last year’s competition, which saw them miss out on the glory after a tie-break situation, the South team clinched the overall winning Zone crown in emphatic style this time round.

On day one the Bic Techno windsurfers had a full-on day screaming round their course in the high winds and at close of play today it was the North Zone who were looking the hot contenders occupying top spots in all the fleets. Sarah Labourne, 11, winning in the 4.5s, Harry Davis, 10, is in complete control of the 5.8 class having won all his races, 14-year-old Mark Reynolds leading the 6.8s and rounding off a very successful day for the North Zone, Luke Patrick, 14, also posted bullets in all his races in the 7.8m class leading the fleet.

Day two and again the windsurfing fleets saw dominance in the 4.5m fleet from North Zone sailor Sarah Labourne, 11, who posted bullets in all but one of her races to collect the crown with fellow north Zone sailor Luke Patrick, 14, achieving three bullets in his 7.8m races to clinch his event victory.

In the 6.8s past Team15 sailor Henry Bloodworth, 11, had a great closing day posting two seconds and one first to claim his class win for the South East with South West sailor Daniel Wilson, 11, also having a great day posting back-to-back bullets knocking the North zones Saturday night 5.8m leader Harry Davis off top spot.

Duncan Truswell, RYA Youth Racing Manager, said: “I was particularly impressed with the tenacity of the competitors on Saturday and the quality of boat/board handling demonstrated in what were really quite breezy, and cold conditions. The sailors and coaches have obviously worked hard over the winter and I suspect the cold spell in January was the ideal preparation for Saturday! It’s been a really worthy test for the winners with all the races being fiercely contested.

“I hope the experience will prove an ideal platform for the sailors to go on and contest National Junior Squad selections throughout this season. I look forward to seeing how the sailors progress throughout this and future years,” he concluded.

John Derbyshire, RYA Racing Manager / Performance Director added: “The RYA Eric Twiname Championships are a fundamental rung in the development ladder for the young sailors, some of whom will have started at the absolute grassroots through the RYA’s OnBoard and Team15 programmes and for those who we hope will eventually go on to represent Britain as seniors at the world’s biggest Olympic Classes regattas.”

Full results and further event information can be found at the RYA Racing Events website at www.ryaracingevents.org.uk

Overall winners of the Eric Twiname Shield:

1) South

2) North

3) South West

Windsurfers:

Bic Techno 4.5

1) Sarah Labourne (club)

2) Joseph Patrick

3) Ella Milne

Winning Zone: North

Bic Techno 5.8

1) Daniel Wilson

2) Harry Davis

3) Nick Sylvester

Winning Zone: South West

Bic Techno 6.8

1) Henry Bloodworth

2) Lewis May

3) Mark Reynolds

Winning Zone: North

Bic Techno 7.8

1) Luke Patrick

2) Matthew Barton

3) Guy Dixon

Winning Zone: North

Windsurfing overall winning Zone:

1) North

2) South West

3) South