Schoolgirl sets the pace in powerboat championships

TWELVE-year-old Robyn Dougall has become used to leaving boys – and buoys – in her wake.

The James Gillespie's pupil has just been named a Scottish champion after racing around Port Edgar in a 45mph powerboat – having only practised twice.

The schoolgirl single-handedly guided her craft around an obstacle course created on the choppy waters, zooming round buoys, picking up objects and rearranging displays in the fastest time to become the winner.

She triumphed over nine male competitors in her age group and will now go on to compete for the British title and the chance to win a small 15,000 powerboat – or rib – for her team, the Royal Forth Yacht Club.

Robyn, from Marchmont, who was introduced to sailing by her father as a three-year-old, said: "I was surprised and delighted. I thought I'd done pretty well and would come maybe third, but I didn't think I'd got first, especially as I only trained in the powerboat twice before the race.

"I started sailing when I was three with my dad. He helped train me up and I really got into it.

"On the day I was quite nervous at first. My dad would usually be in the boat with me or be behind me, but this time he was watching from the pier.

"When I got on the boat I got focused and I forgot about the nerves. I don't know what my time was, but I was shocked when I found out I'd won. It was amazing."

Robyn, who usually tackles the waves in a one-person 'topper' sailing boat, plans to up her training regime from one to two sailing sessions per week to prepare for the final of the competition, run by the Royal Yacht Association, in Southampton on 12 September. There she will race against ten or 11 people from different regions around the UK.

Robyn's father, Kenneth Dougall, 55, who has been a boat enthusiast since he was five, said: "We've been sailing for many years, but I'd only trained her in powerboat racing twice, so I'm delighted that she won. There was an adjudicator in the boat with her, but they didn't help her out. She had to do the task all by herself. I suppose it is a bit of a 'boys with their toys' sport, but I'm glad girl power won out this time.

"I was confident that Robyn would do well. She's been in powerboats since she was little and she rode her first jet bike at five.

"There was a strong wind that day but she handled the boat really well and confidently made her way around the buoys. I'm hoping to get a fairly senior powerboat trainer to help her prepare for the British Championship so that she can see success a second time."