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A North Lincolnshire sailing club is masterminding a boom in windsurfing around Louth after the successful re-launch of its junior windsurfing club this year.

Covenham Cyclones Team 15, based at Covenham Sailing Club, is enjoying a renaissance after a five-year break, with numbers growing from just three young windsurfers at the start of this year to around 20 in only a few months.

Team 15 is the youth windsurfing development programme run by sailing’s national governing body, the RYA, to make windsurfing more accessible to kids aged 15 and under and giving them opportunities learn new skills and develop their racing talents.

The Cyclones were previously a buoyant presence on the North East’s Team15 racing circuit, with one of the club’s most talented graduates, Rob York, having recently represented the British Youth Sailing Team in the RS:X class at the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships - the world’s premier youth sail racing event - in Portugal.

Numbers dwindled as the youngsters grew up and moved away, and the Cyclones were reluctantly put on hold in 2009. 

But driven by former Team15er, Andy Thompson, supported by at least five of his former club mates, the Cyclones have made their comeback and junior windsurfing is back with a bang on Covenham Reservoir. 

Simon Thompson, Training Principal at Covenham SC and Andy’s brother, explains.

“Before we had a lot of enthusiastic instructors and a great team that really did bond. Every event we camped at instead of just turning up for the day making each event special,” he said. 

“Andy decided he wanted to start it up again to try and give the kids the same opportunities we had when we were doing it. He decided to take it upon himself to start the Cyclones up again. 

“For the first few months he would go up to every child in that age bracket and convince them they wanted to start windsurfing or at least try it. This got him his initial numbers, now we are fit to burst!”

Covenham Cylones cater for windsurfers of any ability, from absolute beginner to more experienced racers, and offer a no obligation taster for newcomers at the same time as a Cylones session so they can get a real sense of what the sport and the club is all about. 

Because Covenham have invested in beginner windsurfing kit, starters don’t have to worry about buying any equipment while costs of sessions can be kept to just £5.

The Cyclones ethos is embedded in fun and for kids to be able to enjoy time on the water with their mates. But if they want to progress and follow in Rob York’s footsteps the opportunities are there.

Simon adds: “We sail on a square patch of water that’s perfectly safe because the worst that can happen is that they get to a wall and have to walk back. It’s easy to set a racecourse and we make it fun; as soon as you start shouting or being too serious people aren’t interested. 

“So far the Cyclones have competed at three North East Team15 Inter-Club Challenge events this summer, with one more event to come in August. 

“Our overall windsurfing objective at Covenham SC is to make it accessible and to get more people out on the water, which we do in numbers.”

Covenham Cylones meet every Wednesday evening, along with the sailing section.

Covenham SC is a recognised RYA Training Centre, meaning it conforms to the highest standards of safety and quality. 

For more information on how you and your family can get into windsurfing at Covenham SC visit www.covenhamsc.co.uk or for more details on Team15 visit www.rya.org.uk/programmes/team15