Bilbrough bidding for Youth World Championship glory

East London Advertiser: Isle of Dogs' Courtney Bilbrough (sitting) is competing with crewmate Harriet Ward at the Youth Sailing World Championships in Malaysia (pic: Paul Wyeth/RYA)Isle of Dogs' Courtney Bilbrough (sitting) is competing with crewmate Harriet Ward at the Youth Sailing World Championships in Malaysia (pic: Paul Wyeth/RYA) (Image: Archant)

Isle of Dogs youngster Courtney Bilbrough is representing Great Britain at the Youth Sailing World Championships in Langkawi, Malaysia.

The 17-year-old topped the leaderboard at the 2015 RYA Youth Worlds selection event at Hayling Island Sailing Club in August to earn her spot on the British team.

And the World Championships, open to sailors aged 19 and under, brings together the best youth sailors from across the globe to compete for glory, with past notable British winners including Olympic champions Ben Ainslie, Sarah Ayton and Iain Percy.

Sailing with team-mate Harriet Ward in the girls’ 29er, Bilbrough has a firm goal, saying: “We’re hoping to achieve a top five result overall.

“We also want to learn as much as we can from the other sailors and improve our general sailing and have fun.”

British team leader Oli Woodcock feels the squad is prepared to bring back silverware, adding: “We have a full team going to Malaysia all ready and raring to go.

“We had a really good training camp in Weymouth, we did do some excellent training in the gym making sure we were ready for the conditions and we’ve probably got the fittest team that has gone out to the Youth Worlds and I think we should bring back a couple of medals.”

A total of 14 aspiring Youth World Champions will represent Great Britain at the prestigious Youth Sailing World Championships in Malaysia.

RSX: Dan Wilson, Emma Wilson, Laser Radial, Hanna Brant, Daniel Whiteley.

29er: Courtney Bilbrough and Harriet Ward, George Tardrew and Freddie Simes.

420: Jenny Cropley and Emma Baker, Max Clapp and Ross Banham.

SL16: Jack King and James Butters

Racing started this week and full results are on the Youth Worlds website. You can also follow the team on the British Youth Sailing Team Facebook and Twitter @RYAYouthRacing.