North Wales sailors Alex Burke and William Filby made it through the national finals of the Honda RYA Youth Rib powerboating championship, proving themselves the best in Wales.
 
Victory was particularly sweet for 15-year-old Filby, from Criccieth as he beat Pwllheli Offshore Sea School colleague Anna Williams for the first time in this prestigious competition with the national final at the Southampton Boat Show.


 
From left to right: Anna Williams, William Filby, Max Peters

Filby has been around boats and water all his life, living beside the coast and coming from a family who are involved in the RNLI, he has already reached RYA Powerboat Level 2 among his qualifications.
 
He proved himself as someone who could follow in the family tradition by becoming Welsh champion in the 13-16 age group, beating last year’s champion, Charles Stewart-Walvin from Tenby as well as Williams.
 
“I am surprised, overwhelmed and excited,” he admitted afterwards.
 
14-year-old Williams, a former winner in the younger age category, was second while last year’s winner in the younger category, Max Peters from Holyhead sailing club, was third.

Alex Burke made it a clean sweep for the Pwllheli Offshore Sea School, with clubmates Matthew Taylor and Gregory Hewitt finishing second and third in the 8-12-age category.
 


From left to right: Matthew Taylor, Alex Burke, Gregory Hewitt

Burke is from Macclesfield, but also based in Abersoch, and had never competed in the Wales final before, though his experience included reaching RYA Powerboat Level 2. He too comes from a sailing family and they have a 4.3m Rib. “I am really excited,” he admitted.
 
Organiser Karen Griffiths, from the Pwllheli Offshore Sea School said, “It was great to see so many competitors coming from some distance, some had travelled for several hours to be at this event.
 
“The weather made some of the exercises very tricky, though at least the rain cleared after a wet start.”
 
The Honda RYA Youth Rib Championship, sponsored by Honda and Ribcraft, is a National Championship in which 8-16 year olds RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) drivers can demonstrate their boat handling skills in a race around the clock with the goal of winning a 5m Ribcraft or a Honwave T40 for their club.
 
David Hodgkinson, Marketing Communications Manager for event sponsor Honda said:
"Our continued association with the RYA Youth RIB Championship allows us to inspire and encourage young people to pursue their passion for boating and engage in worthwhile team-based social activities. Furthermore it allows us to underline our commitment to safety and best practice – something which we take extremely seriously as a major manufacturer of engines and inflatables.”
 
Thanks to Championship sponsors Honda, and Ribcraft.
 
For more information about the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship, details on how to get involved and a list of regional finals scores visit www.rya.org.uk