Penarth sailor Matthew Whitfield has been chosen for the British team in the world championships, after a thrilling last race comeback clinched his place.
 
The 13-year-old will now spend New Year at Lankawi in Malaysia for the World Championships for the Optimist class of boat, the first Welsh sailor to achieve this selection for seven years.
 
The last Welsh sailor to compete in the world championships was Hannah Mills in 2003 when she achieved the best ever finish for a British sailor by winning. She is now part of Team Skandia’s British sailing’s development squad targeting a place in the 2012 GBR Olympic team.
 
Whitfield went into the last race of the UK qualification held in Pwllheli in North Wales in seventh place with the top five going to Malaysia. He needed to beat his closest rival by four places, but achieved that comfortably enough by finishing six places better.
 
“This was a stunning achievement by Matthew and is the reward for all the hard work he has put in,” said Welsh sailing director of high performance Iwan Basten.
 
“He showed an excellent temperament going into the final race – he knew what he had to do and went out and did it.
 
“That was the pinnacle of Welsh achievement at the event and he well deserves his place in the team going to Malaysia, however there was plenty of other Welsh success as well.
 
“The strength of Welsh sailing in this area was shown by the fact that 15 of the 80 sailors invited to the event were Welsh.
“Cardiff’s Will Creaven missed a place in the 12-strong British team for the European championships by just one point after the final race.
“His consolation was selection in the next level down for the French championships along with Myles Jackson of Llandegfedd, Gareth Viney of Cardiff Bay and Rowan Edwards from Port Dinorwic.
“It was a strong performance by the Welsh team and plenty to look forward to in the future.”
For further media information:
Hamish Stuart,
RYA Wales regional communicator
Tel: 07914 873451
Email: Hamish@score-media.co.uk
www.rya.org.uk