By Joanna, Roving Reporter
Joanna - our roving reporter
The proud parents of Greg Hewitt off Pandora recently contacted our roving reporter
Greg, who is 11 going on 22, is passionate about boats in general and recently entered the Honda RYA RIB Championships, Welsh Finals for 2010.
The Honda RYA Youth RIB challenge allows youngsters to demonstrate their skills as expert boat handlers and improve their skills in a safe, controlled environment.
Greg on Pandora
To ensure safety at all times each child is accompanied in the RIB by a competent adult/instructor.
Martin, Greg’s father, stated “The aim of the race is to promote safety and boat handling for youngsters, involving them is sensible boating with training. The overall winner of the race wins the use of the RYA RIB for their club for a whole year.”
Greg entered the 8 – 12 age group and he demonstrated great skill and speed in the RYA RIB around a difficult obstacle course. This regional heat took place at the Pwhelli Sea School. The winners of each heat go through to the Welsh finals and then on to the grand final at the Southampton Boat Show.
Greg has been around boats and water all his life and he has already achieved Power Boat level 1 – a pre-requisite of entering the Honda RYA Youth Rib Challenge. He can be seen regularly around the Marina in the family tender and RIB, as well as at the helm with his dad on Pandora.
Greg has also enjoyed crewing on a 40-ft yacht and is definitely a lad with a great future ahead of him.
Greg with his Bronze Medal
The race itself is a timed event around an obstacle course and each entrant enters individually. All of them use the same boat so that there is no handicap involved. There are 2 runs through the course and the fastest run counts.
The course itself includes slalom with a dogleg and then a skilful manoeuvre around a buoy to which a life belt is secured. The RIB has to be stopped, the life belt removed, put back on, and then continued forward to another buoy where you reverse and then complete the course to the finishing line.
Greg has competed for two years running and has been awarded bronze both times. His ambition is to secure gold in 2011.
Greg and sister Jenni
His sister, Jenni, however will be competing for the firsttime next year against him and is adamant that she will beat him! Watch this space!
Get Involved in the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship
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
Greg on the RIB
goal of winning a 5m Ribcraft or a Honwave T40 for their club.
For more information about the Honda RYA RIB Championship and details about how to get involved can be found on www.rya.org.uk
My thanks go to the whole family and I really enjoyed my visit to Pandora, I was made most welcome. Greg insisted that he escort me back to ‘C’ leg by tender and I felt that I was in safe and competent hands.
Well done Greg for achieving Bronze and I am sure everyone will be wishing both you and Jenni good luck for next year.
