Volvo Gill Optimist British National Championships – Battle for podium

by Elin Aaron on 1 Aug 2015 Welsh Sailors take their place on the top of the Volvo Gill Optimist British National Championships podiums in both the Senior and Junior fleets at the new Welsh National Sailing Academy and Events Centre in Pwllheli.

Rhys Lewis from Cardiff Bay Yacht Club is the 2015 British Champion for the Senior fleet while Jamie Cook, also a Cardiff Bay Yacht Club sailor is the British Champion for the Junior fleet as well as receiving the silver in the Open category.

Rhys Lewis said: ”Except for the first day we’ve had really good conditions. This centre is great for holding events like this. We work hard with Nick Sawyer down in Cardiff Bay Yacht Club so it’s great that we can come to north Wales and go home as British Champions.”

Jamie Cook added: ”We come up to Pwllheli quite often to train and it’s great to see that the new centre is open. It’s great and big enough to hold all sorts of events. This week has been lots of fun as the conditions were perfect for me.”

Welsh Optimist coach Sarah Williams said: ”We’ve had a brilliant week here in Pwllheli and it’s great to see Welsh Sailors as British Champions in both the senior and junior fleets. It’s especially great to the Welsh triumph in the first Open Championships at Plas Heli, the new Welsh National Sailing Academy and Events Centre.”

After hosting over 700 optimist sailors from 37 different countries over the past two weeks Plas Heli, the new Welsh National Sailing Academy and Events Centre in Pwllheli is now ready to welcome the Zhik 29er Nationals, the Zhik 29er World Championships, the Gul Fireball World Championship and the IRC Welsh National Championship. A bumper summer for it’s inaugural season.