SPORTINGWALES ISSUE SEVEN COVER STORY

sailing
TOBY SET FOR EURO CHALLENGE
North Wales sailor Tony Morsley is looking forward to competing for Welsh Yachting Association high performance manager Iwan Basten was
Britain in the European Championships this summer. pleased with the overall achievements of the Welsh team
He earned his place in the British team by ﬁ nishing in eighth place overall “Congratulations to Toby and the other sailors who made the team for
in the trials for places in the Great Britain World, European and French the French Nationals,” said Basten.
National events, which were held in familiar waters off Pwllheli and also
in Weymouth. “Their hard work over the winter has paid off. Next it will be
international sailing for Great Britain in events that mark the pinnacle for
The Port Dinorwic sailor was the top placed Welsh competitor, Optimist sailors.
narrowly missing out on a place in the world championships, but looking
forward to competing in The European Championships held at Piran in “After that many will be progressing into the bigger youth classes.”
Slovenia between 4th and 12th July.
Only the top 90 junior sailors in were Britain invited for six day
“I am looking forward to representing Great Britain in Slovenia this qualiﬁ cation event for those sailing the Optimist class of boat - the
summer,” said Morsley. biggest worldwide junior class which helped develop the skills of many of
today’s Olympic sailors.
“It was a tough six days, I knew I had to remain consistent and sail well
to make the team, I am really please I have done it.” Port Dinorwic sailor Morsley led the waves for the Welsh, sailing himself
into the GBR Europeans team ﬁ nishing 8th. Further Welsh Success
The Sports Council of Wales and Asda Sports Aid helped the team with followed with Mathew Whitﬁ eld (Penarth) David Pain, Will Creaven, and
their equipment and travel support throughout the year. Josh Burgess (all Cardiff Bay) missing on the Europeans but making up
half the Great Britain team for the French Nationals.
HANNAH
sailing
HEADING FOR
BRAZIL
South Wales sailor Hannah Tilley has taken another step towards
conﬁ rming her massive potential by ﬁ nishing as the best of British and
booking her place for the world championships.
The Llandegfedd and Cardiff Bay 15-year-old will represent Britain
at the Laser Youth World Championships in Brazil in July after a two
weekend selection series against the best sailors in the UK.
Tilley, from Llandenny near Usk, was the junior girl world champion in
the Topper class of boat last year, but has now moved up to the Laser
4.7 class and has spent the winter working with the Welsh National
Squad as well as the GBR National 4.7 Squad.
She ﬁ nished the top girl and ﬁ fth overall in the British selection to work and attention to detail she has to do well at the top,” said Iwan
conﬁ rm her place in the RYA Team GBR, after working hard on the Basten, the Welsh Yachting Association director of high performance.
water and improving her ﬁ tness over the winter.
“It is a sport of highs and lows and Hannah is consistently showing she
While the Laser 4.7 World Championships will be her immediate can hit the highs. She has every opportunity of continuing her progress at
focus, she is planning to move up again to the Olympic class laser the highest levels through youth and beyond with the way she is going.
radial design over the next 12 months.
“As long as she continues to work hard, she has outstanding potential to
“This is a deserved result for Hannah and a reﬂ ection on the hard go a long way in the sport.”
sportingwales
issue7twothousand&nine
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7 | Page 8 | Page 9 | Page 10 | Page 11 | Page 12 | Page 13 | Page 14 | Page 15 | Page 16 | Page 17 | Page 18 | Page 19 | Page 20 | Page 21 | Page 22 | Page 23 | Page 24 | Page 25 | Page 26 | Page 27 | Page 28 | Page 29 | Page 30 | Page 31 | Page 32 | Page 33 | Page 34 | Page 35 | Page 36 | Page 37 | Page 38 | Page 39 | Page 40 | Page 41 | Page 42 | Page 43 | Page 44 | Page 45 | Page 46 | Page 47 | Page 48 | Page 49 | Page 50 | Page 51 | Page 52