Kids from London’s East End have stormed home to win this year’s London Youth regatta ahead of 24 rival teams.
The Tower Hamlets squad sailed to final victory at the Royal Docks on Saturday to win back the London Trophy they lost two years ago to perennial rivals from Lambeth.
Iona and Callum Dixon both took gold in the Laser Radial and Topper male races, while 12-year-old Leila Moore was first in the Topper female class.
Former Under-13 world champ Courtney Bilbrough, now 14, was up against her GB crewmate Orla Mitchell from Lambeth—but beat her, aided by 12-year-old partner Raya Uzunova.
They made sure of a clean sweep of golds, making Tower Hamlets this year’s outright regatta winners.
It was also a relief to their trainer-manager Matt Rickard to out-sail close rivals Lambeth.
“We’ve come in second for the last two years, but finally we’re back on the top of the podium,” he said. “The reason we’re winning is that we don’t just focus on the top end.”
His team, which trains under him at the Docklands Sailing centre on the Isle of Dogs, have come away with gold, silver or bronze in each of the seven races they entered over the two-day regatta on June 8 and on Saturday.
The regatta is part of the London Youth Games, with 85 competitions in 33 sports. Overall winning borough gets the Jubilee Trophy at next month’s Crystal Palace grand finals.
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