Matthew Brown 

RYA Team GBR’s top junior windsurfers secured an awesome hat-trick of titles at the 2009 IWA Junior, Youth and Masters Windsurfing European Championships.

The Brits dominated the event in Lacanau, France winning three out of the four Bic Techno 293 crowns and snatching almost half of the total number of medals available – five from a possible 12.

It was a very Happy Birthday for Launceston’s Sam Sills – who turned 16 on the final day of the Championships – as he claimed the Under 17 boys’ title while Clevedon’s Noelle Finch led a British clean sweep of Under 15 girls’ silverware and Saltash’s Kieran Martin struck Under 15 boys’ gold.

Sills’ sisters, 12-year-old twins Saskia and Imogen, ensured it became a real family affair as they won Under 15 girls’ silver and bronze respectively but they couldn’t touch Finch, 14, who dominated from start to finish winning seven of her 10 races to sprint to the top of the podium.

Meanwhile 14-year-old Martin enjoyed the most comfortable last day of all the Brits as he wrapped up his title in emphatic style with a day to spare.

Oli Woodcock, RYA Techno Class Head Coach, said: “It was an awesome week and all the sailors did themselves proud. With over 180 competitors it was an excellent turn out and all the main players were out in force in each class. We looked really strong in all the fleets and even those sailors who didn’t win medals turned in performances to be pleased about over the course of the week.”

All eyes will now turn to replicating this success at the 2009 IWA Junior, Youth and Masters Windsurfing World Championships, which take place at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy from 22 – 29 August.

Full list of British results in Lacanau:

Bic Techno Under 15 Girls:

1st Noelle Finch

2nd Saskia Sills

3rd Imogen Sills

Bic Techno Under 15 Boys:

1st Kieran Martin

7th Joe Bennett

10th Adam Purcell

Bic Techno Under 17 Girls:

6th Chloe Bennett

10th Jade Rogers

14th Laurel Townsend

15th Amy Kenmuir

Bic Techno Under 17 Boys:

1st Sam Sills

5th Matthew Brown

14th Josh Leadbetter

20th Jack Plummer

26th Stu Hards