Five young Welsh sailors prepare for Championships

Brother and sister Will and Emily Hall prepare to get afloat at the 2014 Pwllheli International Optimist Regatta last summe Credit: Alan Dop

Twenty-one young sailors, including five from South Wales, will be training in Pwllheli this morning ahead of the Optimist European Championships.

The team are representing Great Britain in the international sailing competition, which will be held in Pwllheli for the first time this July.

The championship hasn't been held in British waters for more than 30 years, with the Optimist junior sailing class widely regarded as the breeding ground for future international sailing success.

12-year-old Jamie Cook has made the British team for this July’s Magic Marine 2015 European Optimist Championships Credit: Alan Dop Photography

Over 90% of sailors at London 2012 raced Optimists as juniors, including Team GB medalists Hannah Mills, Saskia Clark, Iain Percy, Andrew Simpson and Luke Patience.

The Championships themselves get underway on Friday 17 July, with a total of five days of racing before the prizes are presented on Thursday 23 July.

Some 255 sailors from 37 nations, including from outside Europe, will be racing on Cardigan Bay.

Local sailors Christopher Jones (centre) and Hatty Morsley (right) get ready to race. Credit: Alan Dop Photography