The achievements of members of the Northern Irish Sailing Team were recognised at the recent Ards and North Down Sports Awards which were held at the Clandeboye Lodge Hotel.
The event, which was hosted on 21 March, recognised sportspeople and volunteers from a wide range of sports, showcasing Northern Irish sailors among the best in their field, even outside of sailing.
On the evening Annabel and Emily Ridout won Young Team of The Year and Leo West-Hurst was nominated for U15 Sportsperson of The Year.
Emily and Annabel had a hugely successful season last year, winning both the RS Feva Irish Nationals and RYANI Youth Championships in the RS Feva class.
Leo also had a stellar year. He finished 2nd in the Topper 4.2 Irish Nationals and 4th in the Topper 4.2 World Championships last year.
RYA Northern Ireland Performance Manager, Andrew Baker, said: “It is always great when our sailors are recognised for their achievements. Not only does it reward the hours of effort put in, on and off the water, but it highlights the achievement of our athletes to the Northern Irish sailing community and showcases our sport to a wider audience.
“This is crucial in attracting more participants to sailing and helping to bring in more funding to the sport.”
Other members of the Northern Irish sailing community to pick up awards on the night were Robin Gray (Lifetime Service Award) and Stephen Glasgow (Volunteer of the Year).
If you would like to learn more about the Northern Ireland Sailing Team and its members, click here.
