DRAYCOTE Water Sailing Club, just south of Rugby, amassed a remarkable 50 member entries into this year’s Sailing World Championships.
The total is believed to be a club record number of entries with 18 different events attended by Draycote members.
And the events took place across a range of countries including: United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Hungary and United States of America.
Club Commodore, William Whittaker said: “It’s amazing to have so many members competing on the world stage.
“Our Draycote Academy is producing world champions in its third year, which is absolutely fantastic.
“But, perhaps more important, is the sheer number of our sailors involved in international competition.
“Sailing teaches them independence and maturity and it is great to see this on the water and on the shore.”
The best-attended competition was the Feva World Championship held in Weymouth in July with 370 sailors, 13 of them from Draycote, taking part.
And the club had two top-five finishes at the event as Freddie Sunderland and Stella Nygard (both aged 15, from Solihull) claimed second and Millie Irish (aged 18 from Thurlaston) and Bob Byne (aged 14 from Banbury) finished fourth.
Sunderland and Nygard started the event by winning the first six races but lost their crown on the final downwind leg of the final race.
However, the pair’s achievement was topped by 15-year-old Joe Rowe, from Rugby, at the Topper World Championships at Lake Garda in Italy.
Rowe claimed World Championship gold in a very close finish against a sailor from Northern Ireland.
The split of male and female athletes from Draycote who competed at the World Championships came in at an equal half.
And Topper sailor Oscar Rowe (aged 12 from Rugby) was the club’s youngest competitor whilst Club President, Jeremy Atkins (aged 63 from Harbury) was the oldest member.
The podium finishes achieved were driven by the club’s training arm – Draycote Academy – which is run by GB coach and club member Steve Irish who entered the 505 World Championship in Ireland.
And the club have marked the achievement by producing a special edition of Draycote Unshackled – the club’s magazine – which can be read HERE
