LRSC Youth Awards 2023

We arranged for a low-key Youth Awards on Saturday at the Club, our emphasis being to commend all our youth group members for their progress over the Summer and Autumn and to encourage them to continue to develop their skills in the coming year. Youth co-ordinator Sally Holman welcomed everyone, gave a resume of the past season’s youth sailing and events, then  Graham Cook reported on the Race Group and achievements of our keenest youth racers.

We have a vibrant youth section, four groups for training plus a new one set up recently for young sailors becoming familiar with their own new higher-performance boats. We have about 50 young sailors training with the club. The ethos of helping younger beginners and improvers voluntarily remains strong, it’s a very supportive atmosphere. All who started newly with us in our basic group in 2023, are keen to continue in 2024. More under18s have been joining in club racing, even in the Winter, thanks to coaches and competitive sailors Graham Cook and Jerry Rook. We thank our adult teams who run the groups, and the LRSC Committee who support us,’said Sally.

The youth section is saying goodbye to Senior Instructor Simon Law who has run the Saturday Seamanship Skills group since it was set up, and is now off to work abroad with RYA establishments to further his career in the sailing world.

We will miss Simon and wish him well,’ said Sally, ‘his group provides for those who step up from Tuesday Improvers but are not yet ready, or do not wish, to get into racing. Elliot Sammons will take over leading this group along with other experienced club sailors. ‘

A new season starts at Easter. The Beginners/Improvers group is now full for this year at 29 members.