Sam Sills gets 2008 off to golden start

Rising star Sam Sills got his 2008 off to the perfect start with gold in the Techno 7.8 class at the IV Bay of Cadiz New Year Regatta in Spain.

Sills, who was crowned the World Under-15 Techno champion last summer, overcame four days of weather interrupted sailing and difficult swell conditions to comfortably take Under 17 victory on the Techno 7.8 by four points from Helene Noesmoen (France).

The 14-year-old Cornish schoolboy, a member of the RYA Techno National Junior Squad, headed a team of nine British youngsters in Spain.

Matthew Brown clinched fifth behind Sills on the Techno 7.8 meanwhile Joanna Evans finished as third girl on her way to 16th place overall in the Under 17 Techno 7.8 event. Sam’s younger sister Saskia took the 4^th girl spot finishing 8^th overall in the Under 15 Techno 6.8 fleet.

Reigning World Under-17 Techno champion, Ali Masters, 16, who has now progressed into the RYA RS:X Youth Squad, came back strongly after suffering equipment failure in race one to take fourth overall in the RS:X 8.5 Youth Men’s class against a tough international line-up.

Sam will be hoping his Cadiz victory is just the start of a golden 2008 for RYA Team GBR’s young windsurfers.

In March a strong squad will contest the medals at the Techno European Championships in Italy while in August, the Brits will be looking for a repeat of last year’s golden success when the World Championships take place in Poland in August.

British Results:

RS:X Youth Men (8.5)

4th Ali Masters

13^th Callum Stewart (Astbury)

16^th Jamie Ingram (Cannock Chase)

RS:X Men (9.5)

15^th Andrew Petts (HSSC)

Techno 7.8 Under 17

1^st Sam Sills (Roadford)

5^th Matthew Brown (Northampton SC)

16^th / 3^rd girl Joanna Evans (Queen Mary)

20th / 4^th girl Nicola Granger

Techno 6.8 Under 15

8^th / 4^th girl Saskia Sills (Roadford)