It was an impressive debut at the Topper Nationals for William Webster, who competed in the 4.2 fleet and produced a series of strong performances across five days of racing.
The event marked William’s first experience of sailing on the sea, but he made an immediate impact by winning the opening race convincingly. It was also his first time competing over five consecutive days, with three races taking place each day.
Despite challenging conditions, particularly for some of the smaller sailors, William finished 29th overall in a fleet of competitors aged 11 to 16. He also placed seventh among all 12 year olds and was the second placed 12 year old boy.
His result is particularly impressive given that William only joined a sailing club around 18 months ago. His interest in the sport first began at Bolton School, when he took part in a sailing taster session as part of a Park Road extracurricular activity. Since then, his enthusiasm for sailing has continued to grow through his involvement with the School sailing team, with support from Mr Perry and Mr Bradley.
Earlier this year, William joined Delph Sailing Club, where he has continued to develop as a sailor. He is now one of six Bolton School pupils who sail at the club, with pupils involved from Year 5 through to Sixth Form.
There is more competitive sailing ahead for Bolton School pupils too. Lancashire Youth Sailing will soon compete in the Regional Youth Team Racing event at Ripon, with three of the four sailors in one of its teams coming from Bolton School.
William’s progress is a strong example of how opportunities to try different sports can develop into lasting interests and significant achievements. What began with a taster session at School has now led to national competition, and William will be looking to build on this success as he continues to progress on the water.
