The RYA Northern Ireland has welcomed the announcement by the Northern Ireland Executive in its Coronavirus recovery strategy published today, (12th May), which provides an outline of the approach that will be taken to any potential modifications going forward.

RYANI has said “We are aware many questions will be raised by members, clubs, centres etc. on its implications and are engaged with relevant stakeholders to seek clarity on elements outlined in the strategy in order to assess subsequent advice going forward for the boating community. We will continue to ensure relevant updates are provided as and when RYANI is in a position to do so”.

In Step One of the Five-Step (but undated) Pathway to Recovery it states “Outdoor spaces and public sports amenities to open. For example, walking, running, cycling, some water activities, golf, tennis”.

More here 

In a communication this morning, Richard Honeyford, Chief Operating Officer in RYA Northern Ireland, said that in line with the RYA, the local governing body will be suspending organised activity until 30th April writes Betty Armstrong.

This includes all Youth Performance Programme, Instructor Courses, Race Management Seminar, Open Pathway Training, Club Development Seminars and Youth Forum activity. All individuals signed up for these events will be notified.

RYA has also updated advice to help support local clubs and organisations with regards to the evolving COVID-19 situation here.

In line with the latest Public Health Agency advice, staff will be working remotely with immediate effect. All staff will be available through email and mobile numbers and if needed contact can be made through social media if you don’t have these. 

He added “We are assessing how best we can continue to support our clubs and members at this time and will be looking into alternative methods to try and best do this. Social Media is likely to play its part, so please keep checking in with us. We will of course be monitoring developments and updating advice as necessary. We remain engaged with local statutory organisations and will share any relevant information with the boating community”.

RYA Northern Ireland is celebrating clinching a prestigious award at the Active Fit and Sporty Awards at the ceremony held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast, just a few days before International Women’s Day.

The Active, Fit and Sporty Project aims to work strategically with a wide range of partners and key stakeholders to raise the profile of women and girls in sport and physical activity in four key areas. The object of the awards programme is to celebrate the role of the Active, Fit and Sporty project in raising awareness of participation opportunities across Northern Ireland and to honour individuals and teams who have contributed to this.

It was the first time the Female Sports Forum held the awards and RYA Northern Ireland was nominated in two categories, National Governing Body Champion Award and the Media Award.

With many worthy nominees in the running, RYA Northern Ireland was crowned the winner of the National Governing Body Champion award for its Women on Water (WOW) initiative.

RYA Northern Ireland’s Active Clubs Co-Ordinator, Lisa McCaffrey runs the programme. She commented: “We are delighted and proud to receive this award and we hope to continue to work with the Female Sports Forum to create exciting opportunities for females within sport.” Explaining the success of the WOW programme, Lisa said: “WOW began in 2016, aiming to provide a pathway for female participation within our sport. It is a fantastic opportunity for females to try sailing at low cost, concentrating on learning to sail, having fun and meet new friends.
“Since 2016 over 12 clubs and centres have been running WOW programmes, giving more than 500 participants the opportunity to get on the water. The programme has been such a success that last year we brought together a group of volunteers who organized a festival to celebrate, with over 40 women taking to the water.”

She added: “RYA Northern Ireland would like to take this opportunity to thank all our WOW clubs, centres and volunteers who have been running the WOW programmes for the last three years. “This award goes to all our boating community including clubs, centres, volunteers and all the participants.”

Jackie Patton, Chair of RYA Northern Ireland commented: “It is an honour for RYANI to be shortlisted in two categories and to receive this award. It is recognition of the dedication of our volunteers, in particular highlighting the visibility of female success within our sport. Inspiring role models can have a significant impact on participation. This is very much in evidence with our Women on Water programme."

As Afloat previously reported, the 2020 Women on Water festival is being held at Carrickfergus Sailing Club with Belfast Lough Sailability on 6 June 2020. 

The great sailor Ed Baird, Laser World champion in 1980 and World J24 Champion in 1983 is reputed to have said that the most important skills come from 'Time on the Water'.

Now in preparation for doing just that this coming season, a group of sailors have been working on their development skills as part of RYANI's Youth Forum and putting their leadership and thinking skills to the test through workshops at the Ganaway Activity Centre in Millisle, Co. Down. They also tested their nerves on the challenging climbing wall.

The RYANI Youth Forum group, which is being piloted for one year, has been formed as part of an initiative to empower young people, encouraging them to participate actively in society. The group is also being given the chance to improve their own lives by highlighting their needs and interests, as well putting forward their views to the governing body.

As sailing can be looked on as social exercise as well as a sport, with the skill of crewing a boat with others needing a great deal of understanding, patience and organisation, this training will no doubt benefit the young sailors.

Chair of RYANI Jackie Patton commented: "At RYANI we are delighted to be running this initiative in partnership with the Northern Ireland Youth Forum. It is a fantastic opportunity for our young people to develop as leaders and young ambassadors within the club setting and their community, giving them skills for life."
RYANI has scored a first as it is the first region to set up the initiative.

Three volunteers from Northern Ireland are celebrating as their efforts were recognised by Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal at RYA’s Volunteer Awards held in London on Friday 22 November, to reward hard-working volunteers from all over the UK for their outstanding contribution to sailing and boating.

David Nelson from Ballyholme Yacht Club received a Lifetime Commitment Award, Graham Skelton from Carrickfergus Sailing Club collected an Outstanding Contribution Award and Abbie Brown from Donaghadee Sailing Club was given a Youth Award.

Chair of RYANI Jackie Patton said: “It was an honour to attend this event on behalf of RYANI. We wish to congratulate Abbie, Graham and David who deserve recognition for their dedication and service to the sport”.

David Nelson’s lifetime commitment award was for his 30 years’ service to the sport. He has competed in Regional and National events and served as a National Judge and holds Coach Assessor accreditation. He brings a wealth of experience into his volunteering at BYC, where he has recently demonstrated his instruction and leadership qualities by overseeing the Dolphin and Shark programme, creating a very positive learning environment that has led to a significant increase in cadet members and vibrant youth sailing extending into the Autumn. He is also Club Bosun, taking on this crucial role keeping an extensive training dinghy fleet safe and fit for purpose.

Graham Skelton from Carrickfergus Sailing Club (CSC) received an Outstanding Contribution award. As Groundsman, he looks after the maintenance of the club grounds and he has also taken on the responsibility of Club Bosun. Graham and his team pay meticulous attention to repairs and maintenance of the club’s fleet of safety boats, and to clubhouse interior. A qualified RYA Powerboat Instructor, he has helped members to gain Powerboat Level 1 and 2 qualifications and he is an integral part of the safety support boat rota, probably doing more than his fair share of volunteering for this task. He has successfully trained junior members for the Honda Youth RIB Championship.

Abbie Brown from Donaghadee Sailing Club (DSC) received a Youth Award. In her role as Junior Commodore and Assistant Instructor at DSC, Abbie devotes many hours of her time to organising junior events and teaching sailing. In addition, she supports the senior committee meetings by representing the juniors and reporting on the many varied junior events being organised both on and off the water. 

Recently selected for the Northern Ireland Laser Performance Squad, her enthusiasm for sailing has impacted the community. This year, she helped to re-fashion, organise and promote the club’s Bright Night Sailing Programme, which was oversubscribed. She has taught many children to sail, helped with rescue boat cover and organised a tuck shop. The result of her enthusiasm and infectious love of sailing has been a remarkable increase in the younger members’ participation in regular club racing. Her most outstanding achievement this year was the organisation of the DSC Junior Regatta.

Nominations are now invited for the 2020 RYA Volunteer Awards. For more information visit here

RYANI has selected a group of young sailors to join its Youth Performance Programmes. The sailors, aged from 12 to 17, will be supported along their sailing journey, in preparation for national and international competition.

RYANI Performance Manager James Farrell commented: “The Youth Performance Programme brings together the best youth sailors from all over Northern Ireland. Within a high-performance environment, they are offered challenges and a pathway to success.

“The programme focuses on developing boat handling and racing skills in the sailing weekends with additional onshore days developing, rules, metrology, psychology, fitness skills and event planning and preparation.”

The programme runs over six training weekends and some additional days, which are delivered over the winter by RYANI’s expert coaches.

The sailors selected for the Topper Youth Performance Programme are:

Autumn Halliday – Strangford Lough Yacht Club
Ella Fitzpatrick – Quoile Yacht Club
Toby Hughes - Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club
Holly McConnell – Country Antrim Yacht Club
Charlie O’Malley – Donaghadee Sailing Club
Daniel Palmer – Donaghadee Sailing Club / Ballyholme Yacht Club
Lewis Thompson – Ballyholme Yacht Club
Callum Jackson – Coleraine Yacht Club
Max Killiner – Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club
Matthew Loughlin – Coleraine Yacht Club
Daniel Corbett – County Antrim Yacht Club
Erin McClernon - Carrickfergus Sailing Club
Cody Halliday – Strangford Lough Yacht Club
Charlotte Eadie – Donaghadee Sailing Club
Dan Sherriff – Ballyholme Yacht Club
Hannah Dadley-Young – Ballyholme Yacht Club
Emily Dickson – Donaghadee Sailing Club
Zoe Whiteford – East Antrim Boat Club
Joshua Kane - East Antrim Boat Club
Charlie Patterson – East Antrim Boat Club

The sailors selected for the Laser Youth Performance Programme are:

Colin Crichton – Quoile Yacht Club / Strangford Sailing Club
Ellen Barbour – Country Antrim Yacht Club
Matthew McClernon - Carrickfergus Sailing Club
Conor McVeigh - Strangford Sailing Club
Izzy O’Farrell - Carlingford Lough Yacht Club
Eva Briggs – East Down Yacht Club / Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club
Lucas Nixon – Donaghadee Sailing Club / Ballyholme Yacht Club
Ethan McCormac - Cushendall Sailing and Boating Club
Kelly Patterson - East Antrim Boat Club
Evie McLaughlin - Strangford Lough Yacht Club
Joshua McGregor - Ballyholme Yacht Club / Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club
Annie McVeigh - Strangford Sailing Club
Oliver Haig - Ballyholme Yacht Club
Tom Coulter - Coleraine Yacht Club
Sam Rutherford - Holywood Yacht Club
Dan McGaughey - Ballyholme Yacht Club / Donaghadee Sailing Club

The Royal Yachting Association in Northern Ireland (RYA NI) has followed Irish Sailing in congratulating Belfast's Liam Glynn who secured Bronze in the U21 Laser World Championships in Poland after he took on 133 competitors from 40 countries.

Glynn, from Ballyholme Yacht Club, is funded by Sport Northern Ireland.

RYANI's High Performance Manager Matt McGovern said: "Liam Glynn has shown dedication and commitment since a very young age. His performance at the weekend was outstanding and his Bronze medal is very much deserved. We are delighted for Liam and are looking forward to watching him as he continues on his journey as a top-class athlete."

The 19-year-old completed a solid weekend of racing on Sunday afternoon and clinched the podium spot despite difficult shifty conditions on the Baltic Sea.

In 2013 Glynn, won the Topper World Championships as a junior.

As Afloat.ie previously reported, The latest result now qualifies Glynn for the Irish Sailing Senior Team in 2018 and he will compete at the Olympic qualifier in Aarhus, Denmark, in August.

The RYANI annual affiliated club conference on Belfast Lough will take place this year on Saturday 2nd December 2017 at Carrickfergus Sailing Club. It is open to all RYA affiliated clubs to come and hear updates from the RYANI, including an update on the Insights Data from a recent club census.

Delegates can take part in a wide range of workshops, from becoming an RYA Training Centre to growing racing activity, running Honda Youth RIB events to improving your Club’s website/social media, to a workshop about an effective committee, plus many more. The day runs from 9.15am-5pm.

The event is sponsored by RYA membership and Sport NI Lottery fund.

The event is being run earlier than normal as feedback from previous conferences indicated clubs had little time to put into action new ideas gleaned from the conference.

Active Clubs Coordinator Lisa McCaffrey said: “The Affiliated Club Conference is a great opportunity to network with other clubs, learn and share ideas for the coming season and to gain more information on what the RYANI aim to achieve.

For more information contact [email protected]