Prime Minister visits youths

Gordon Brown attended the final day of the UK Optimist National Championship

The final day of racing at the Volvo Musto Optimist Nationals saw the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown visit the Weymouth and Portland National Academy, while the young sailors finished off their week long regatta, with three races today.

Mr Brown commented, “What is fantastic, are the plans for here and the Olympics. It is the first Olympic facility up and running, with people already training here and the legacy will go on for years after that. So more young children will go sailing and more children from schools all over the country will also. We have already done so well in Olympic sailing and carry on doing so. I am very confident with the young people and facilities down here, this will be a sport we will be able to carry on excelling in.”

London 2012 Chairman, Sebastian Coe, accompanied the Prime Minister, whilst he toured the facilities and was introduced to young sailors and the spectators at the Optimist Nationals. The youngsters showed him around an Optimist dinghy, explaining why the 2.3 meter boat is the most popular youth class dinghy across the globe and has groomed some of the UK’s most successful sailors, including triple Olympic medallist, Ben Ainslie.

Alex Mothersele (15) from Emsworth, Hampshire fought off strong competition in the senior fleet all week, in the form of Spanish sailor, Eric Plancon (14), to win gold with two points spare. Top female, American Sarah Williams (13) just pipped her teammate Alex Curtis (13) to a bronze medal today, with a second, ninth and eleventh. Unfortunately for Curtiss, after his first place in the first race of the day, he was over the line in the second.

The junior fleet has been dominated all week by Team USA, but it was change at the top on the final day, with Hunter Johnson (12) from Chicago regaining poll position. Clay Danly (12) was only one point behind Johnson, with friend Duncan Williford (12) in bronze position. United Arab Emirates sailor, Oliver Grogono (11) finished in fourth, with first Brit, Scott Wallis (11) from Hampshire, jumping into fifth position today.

The regatta fleet managed to fit in 14 races this week, to help teach the 105 youngsters how to race dinghies. Ben Waha (11) from Hampshire won gold with 18 points between him and his nearest rival, finishing off his week with a first and a second place. Joe Girling (11) from Norfolk won silver, with Joseph Burns (10) from Hampshire receiving bronze.

Results:

Senior Fleet

1-Alex Mothersele GBR - 28 Points
2-Eric Plancon ESP - 45 Points
3-Sarah Williams USA - 50 Points
4-Alex Curtis USA - 56 Points
5-David Grant GBR - 57 Points (subject to protest)

Junior Fleet

1-Hunter Johnson USA - 16 Points
2-Clay Danly USA - 17 Points
3-Duncan Williford USA - 18 Points
4-Oliver Grogono UAE - 28 Points
5-Scott Wallis GBR - 30 Points

Regatta fleet

1-Benjamin Waha GBR – 16 points
2-Joe Girling – GBR – 34 points
3-Joseph Burns GBR – 37 points
4-William Massey GBR – 40 points 
5-Daniel Whitley GBR – 57 points