Here come the the girls as Tettenhall sisters qualify for national powerboat finals

Two young Tettenhall powerboat driving sisters will once again represent the Midlands at the finals of a national competition after claiming age-group titles at the first ever joint Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship Midlands Area Final, hosted by Burton Sailing Club on Saturday (16 July).

2014 National Champion Kamila Czartolomna, 15, and her two-time Nationals finalist sibling Aga, 11, will now go head to head with the other 12 Area age-group finalists from across the UK at the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship showdown at the Southampton Boat Show on Sunday 25 September.

In what was the first Area final since the West and East Midlands joined forces for this event, 16 youngsters representing sailing clubs and other youth groups from across both regions did battle to find the best driver in two age-groups - 8-12 and 13-16 years. And, just as they did in 2014, it was the South Staffs Sailing Club siblings who left the rest of the drivers in their wake to seal double regional glory for the Czartolomna family.

Now in its 15th year, the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship is Britain’s leading programme introducing kids to powerboats and training them to be safe, proficient drivers and excellent boat handlers. RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats) are light, manoeuvrable craft and the drivers compete in time trials around sets of marks with the fastest time over two rounds winning the event.

In the 13-16 age-group five-time Southampton qualifier, Kamila, who won a state-of-the-art powerboat and engine for South Staffs SC when she became the first girl in more than 10 years to be crowned National Champion, was the only driver to clock under a minute for her best run, seeing off her nearest challenger, 2014 East Midlands regional champion, Kayla Simmonds (Notts County SC), by more than nine seconds.

Meanwhile there was an even more convincing victory margin for Aga, who has qualified for the National finals for the third successive year, with her best run of 1.05:07 in the 8-12 age-group 19 seconds ahead of second-placed Fin Clasper (Carsington SC).

Kamila said: "I’m looking forward to heading to Southampton Boat Show for the fifth time. Hopefully I’ll do well at the National final and bring another boat back for my club.”

Aga added: "I’m proud to have won the Midlands Area Final and I’m hoping to do well at the National final. I’m very happy also for my big sister Kamila who is the 13-16 Midlands Champion too."

The overall National champion in each age-group wins a Honwave T40 RIB with a Honda BF20 engine (8-12 years) or a Highfield 460 RIB with a Honda BF50 engine (13-16 years) for their club.

Both girls sail and are trained in powerboat driving at South Staffs SC, on Gailey Reservoir, by the club’s Junior Powerboat coach, Steve Troke, and fellow instructor, Robin Harper.

Steve said: "The competition was phenomenal, it's great to see so many youngsters with such good powerboat driving control and skill. Well done Kamila and Aga for their performances, they were a real credit to South Staffs SC and I’m so please for them both to be heading off to Southampton again.

"I would like to say a really big thank you to everyone at the club for their continued support of the RIB Challenge training. I’d particularly like to thank Robin Harper; we couldn’t have achieved anything like the results we are getting without him and he has worked wonders with Aga this year.”

With the emphasis on swift, efficient and safe manoeuvring, the skills the youngsters develop through the Honda RYA Youth RIB programme are a great chance for them to experience the thrill of racing a small powerboat and invaluable in developing safe, proficient powerboat drivers to support sailing clubs in running the activities they want to get more people out on the water more often.

Will Baldock, Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship Midlands Regional Co-ordinator, said: "Bringing the two regions together made the Midlands Area Final extra competitive. We have put a lot of effort into promoting the Championship and its benefits to clubs across the region this year and have seen an increase in the number of clubs represented. I’m always impressed at the amount of skill and control shown and this year is no exception."

Tom Busfield, Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship UK Event Manager, concluded: "The Championship continues to go from strength to strength. The continual improvement of young people’s boat handling reflects the time and dedication of our instructors up and down the country."

For more information about the Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship visit www.rya.org.uk/go/hondayouthrib