Charlotte Webster sailed her way to a gold medal at the UK ILCA British Open and Nationals, held last week in Hayling Island, England.
“It feels great,” Webster told the Cayman Compass. “It’s a huge accomplishment. I worked hard for it, a lot of training, a lot of time spent on the water, learning about the currents and the tides from the locals, and I think it really helped me.”
Her victory in the under-19 gold fleet marked the second consecutive year that she made the podium at the British nationals, having claimed the ILCA 4 fleet silver medal at last year’s regatta.
The 18-year-old, who is currently ranked as the number one sailor in the Cayman Islands, noted that her big win was a result of her pushing through adversity during the opening days of the competition.
“It was pretty intense,” she said. “When we first launched, these thunder clouds came over us with lightning, so we waited it out.”
She added, “It was the first time for me racing against so many people in gold fleet. It was a nice surprise and I’m proud of my result.”
As for what’s next, Webster is scheduled to compete in the ILCA6 at the BUCS 2022 Fleet Racing Championships in September.
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Well done Charlotte! Many congratulations – a great achievement.