Pwllheli To Host Major Youth Sailing Event

Welsh sailing hub Pwllheli will host the 2020 edition of the RYA Youth National Championships.

The 2020 event will be staged at the Welsh National Sailing Academy at Plas Heli. Held annually during the Easter holidays, the RYA Youth National Championships is the UK’s premier youth racing event and a must for young sailors looking to test their racing skills against the country’s best.

Racing takes place in British Youth Sailing Recognised Classes and the results are used to select the British Youth Sailing Team to represent Great Britain at international regattas as well as the domestic youth squad for the year ahead.

Pwllheli was picked following an RYA bid process in recognition of their world-class sailing waters.

The Youth National Championships is no stranger to Pwllheli, having been hosted there numerous times and most recently in 2016, however in 2021 it will be the first time the event will have taken place in Plymouth.

The 2018 edition of the regatta was held in Largs, Scotland, and featured more than 225 young sailors, while in 2019 more than 300 competitors will do battle at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.

Stephen Tudor, Chairman of Plas Heli, said: “We are delighted to be given the opportunity to host the 2020 edition of the RYA Youth National Championships. We will work closely with the RYA, RYA Cymru Wales, Gwynedd Council and Pwllheli Sailing Club to deliver a fantastic regatta, on and off the water.

“Pwllheli has a long history of hosting major championships and the RYA Youth National Championships is one of the most prestigious events where we can see potential future Olympians in action. I am sure that all competitors will enjoy our special warm welcome.”

Mark Nicholls, the RYA’s Youth Racing Manager, said: “We’re very excited to have Pwllheli and Plymouth on board for the 2020 and 2021 RYA Youth National Championships.

“They are two world-class venues with incredible sailing waters that will be worthy hosts of the UK’s most prestigious youth racing event.

“It will be a pleasure to return to Plas Heli again next year, and we’re excited to take the regatta to a new venue, the Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre, in 2021.”

The search for venues for the 2022 and 2023 will commence shortly, with more details to follow.

Meanwhile entries for the 2019 event are now open.

Stay up to date with all the latest news and pictures from British Youth Sailing on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For further details about Welsh sailing and watersports, please go to http://www.rya.org.uk/rya-regions/rya-cymru-wales or https://www.facebook.com/RYACymruWales or follow on Twitter @RYACymruWales . You can also keep up to date by following RYA Cymru Wales on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rya_cymru_wales/​