Britain beckons for Burgh sailors

0 - 0 • Published 31 Jan 2008 09:30

ROYAL Yachting Association (RYA) Scotland-trained sailors from Helensburgh have been invited to join the Great Britain sailing team.

Anna Burnet, 15, and Ross Stanley-Whyte, 12, are two of only 11 sailors in Scotland, between the ages of 12 and 17, to be invited to join the team.

This means Anna, who sails a 420, and Ross, who sails an Optimist, are among the top sailors in the UK for their age group and class of dinghy.

As well as continuing to receive elite coaching support from RYA Scotland, the Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club members will travel to venues such as the prestigious Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy in England, set to be the sailing venue for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Anna and Ross have reached this level with help from the RYA Scotland national sailing squad, which is set up to help our young sailors make it into the Great Britain team.

By reaching this level, they are following in the footsteps of another former Scottish squad member - double Olympic gold medal winner Shirley Robertson.

And there is plenty more talent waiting in the wings, with RYA Scotland"s 2007/2008 squad having the potential to be one of the strongest for some time.

RYA Scotland focuses on Optimist, Topper, Laser Radial, 420 and windsurfing sailors, who are trained every few weeks throughout the year under the guidance of top racing coaches.

RYA Scotland High Performance Manager, Roy McCubbin, said: 'Anna and Ross have shown the talent, commitment and potential to be selected for the Great Britain team and we look forward to seeing how they develop over the next 12 months.

'We"re delighted to have 11 young people involved at that level. We are also very optimistic that some of our other sailors will be good enough to take that step in the near future.'

Sailors invited to join the GBR team include Callum Airlie, 12, and Drew Airlie, 14, from Westruther; Ross Stanley-White, 12, from Helensburgh; Tom Kemsley, 14, from Glasgow, who all sail Optimist sailing dinghies, Lorenzo Chiavarini, 13, from Bellanoch Bay, near Lochgilphead, who sails a Topper; and 420 sailors Peter Irwin, 17, from Linlithgow; David Kohler, 17, from Balerno; James Logan, 15, from Motherwell; Konrad Weaver, 15, from Church Chare; Anna Burnet, 15, from Helensburgh, and Shona Ross, 14, from Kingussie.

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This article appeared in Helensburgh Advertiser 31 Jan 08

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