Laura Cammidge, of the Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club in Rhu, won a gold medal at the Blind Sailing World Championships.

The 27-year-old topped the podium in the B3 fleet at World Sailing’s 2017 Blind Fleet Racing Championships.

Laura travelled to Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA to compete with the GBR Blind Sailing Team against competitors from around the world.

Squads travelled from afar afield as Australia and New Zealand to take part in this year’s championships, held from September 11-17.

With Chris Albert on main, Jonny Cormack as tactician and Jonny Stevenson on sail trim, Laura helmed to victory, ahead of fellow GBR teammates, with an impressive 25 points over 17 races.

GBR Blind Sailing came away with gold in the B2 and B3 Divisions, as well as silver in the B1 and B3 Division, securing them the overall title of World Champions and the Squadron Cup.

Laura said: “Winning gold at the World Championships felt amazing and very special.

"Having been so close in previous years, we are so pleased that all the hard work and determination finally paid off. We managed to hold our lead throughout the Championships and take gold, despite some challenging conditions and tough racing.

"This past year would definitely not have been possible without the ongoing support of both my coaches and sponsors.

"We’re now training for next season and it is exciting to hear that Scotland is a strong contender for hosting World Sailing’s 2018 Blind Match Racing World Championships.

"It would be pretty cool to be able to compete at a home World Championships, in the location where I learnt to sail. If it was hosted here in Scotland, I hope it would encourage other Scots, who may not think of sailing as a sport they can take part in, to give it a go, and show that with the right support anything is possible.”

The Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club is currently being considered to be the host for the World Sailing’s 2018 Blind Match Racing World Championship in summer of 2018.

Commodore Charles Darley said: “It would be exciting for us to have this event here in Rhu.

"We are in a spectacular location. We have a fleet of nine Sonar one-design keelboats which would be ideal for racing in the Championship next year.

“The Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club is developing to bring it closer to the contemporary sailing scene, to the benefit of our members and the local community. Hosting events such as these is part of that.

“I know that Laura is quite rightly proud of this achievement. I look forward to the club working closely with blind sailing in the future.”