ONE of the organisers of the annual powerboat record week on Coniston Water is to be honoured with a Royal Yachting Association award for his contributions to the sport.

The Princess Royal, President of the RYA, will present the gong to Richard Solomon, a long-standing member of Windermere Motor Boat Racing Club whose role has also been extensive at a national level.

He served for many years on the RYA circuit racing committee (CRC) and its predecessor the sports boat committee until 1999, when he took on responsibilities including recording rule changes and responsibility for water approvals, where he would advise and assist clubs with the requirements for their water.

Shortly after retiring from CRC, he became chairman of the RYA powerboat racing committee, with his term ending in 2007.

Mr Solomon has also been Officer of the Day and timekeeper for both club and national events, even though he retired from active racing 30 years ago, and has been involved with the Power Records Weeks since its inception in 1970.

He has been vice chairman, race committee chairman and race secretary and helped the transfer from Windermere to Coniston when speed limits were imposed on the original venue in 2005.

His own club now races in the docks at Barrow, though they are granted two dispensations from the speed limits each year to keep the sport's presence on Windermere.

"The sport has a good social side to it. It's something like-minded people get together and enjoy", he said.

Richard said he particularly enjoys the record attempt week which brings together craft ranging from jet bikes to 50 foot twin V8 engined offshore powerboats and this year saw 16 world records and '20-odd' national ones set.

RYA sport development manager Duncan Truswell said: “The RYA volunteer awards are all about celebrating the commitment of the countless volunteers who do fantastic work to support boating in all its forms. These people are the lifeblood of our sport.”