RYA Sailability Keelboat League 2002
The weekend of the 16-18th September saw Sailability groups from around the UK come together to race in the keelboat league.
It's been great to watch our sailors and volunteers build their skills throughout the year to reach this event and feel confident in their racing. Let's take a quick look back at a few seasons that built to this weekend with thanks from those who've helped us make it happen:
Royal Burnham Yacht Club – J707 building our keelboat confidence with Ben.
Hayling Island Sailing Club – RS21 introductions and spinnaker work with Niall
South Cerney Sailing Club – Boat handling and moving our weight
These are just a handful of the clubs that supported this training.
Well, I have to start with an amazing weekend at the RYA Sailabilty Keelboat League watching everyone grow even through those frustrating races. Also our friends from Sussex Sailability who stepped on to the RS21 for the first time on Friday.
Racing is about teamwork first and it’s true to say this weekend, we all made new friends, took on new challenges and supported each other through the ups and downs of racing. As a squad, we have spent the year training for this event, kite work, race prep so you can plan your day from food and kit, body weight and fitness down to communication. True to say it all paid off, we still have a long way to go with the training but the foundations have been laid.
The weather was sunny with light winds increasing slightly on Sunday. Racing was tight with penalty turns all over; it was great to see the close racing from all teams, kites being hosted and dropped under control and for many teams it was their first time racing in this format. The different rules tested our crews making them think all the way around the course.
We also thank Richard Moxey for his coaching on the water, it really helped build our knowledge for the future.
It was also great to spend time together and make new friends over dinner at Cardiff Yacht Club thanks to RYA Sailability. We also got to meet some of our new members from lockdown face to face and talk to them about getting on the water in 2023.
This racing definitely keeps you on your toes and we cannot wait for more events with RS and the British Keelboat League.
Massive congratulations to all that took part and a big thanks to the organising authorities.
Big thanks also to Rooster, ARB Tree & Garden Solutions, Thomas Pocklington Trust, RYA Sailability and the British Keelboat League.
Congratulations to Jonny Stevenson, Emma Wrixon, Lucy Hodges and John Churcher for taking the win.
Results
