Riding The Waves

Local teen Ollie Cooper enjoying great season sailing his two hander

Local teenager Ollie Cooper has been enjoying great success on the water this season sailing a two hander - RS Feva - with the National Squad.

Ollie, along with his crew, are currently third in the Grand Prix series with another set of races this weekend, 20th and 21st June.

Unfortunately their quest for victory at the National Championships fell apart as the wind played horrible tricks and only four races were sailed over three days to produce a very average result. However they are off to Lake Garda in July for the Feva Euros and are very keen to do well this time.

His main campaign was to earn a place in the Laser 4.7 team for the European Championship for which he had two weekends of trials. Happily he sailed very well and earned his place in the team (of 18) easily.

He will be travelling to Helsinki, Finland in August as part of the Laser 4.7 Team GBR to compete in the European Championships. Sailors from all over Europe will be there in small teams competing for the European Title. They will be supported by coaches provided by the RYA.

As a result of the team place, Ollie also earned a place in the RYA Laser 4.7 Summer Squad which is providing extra coaching leading up to the event.

Ollie is being generously supported Chiswick's Hogarth Health Club. Ollie's mother and long time Hogarth member, said, "Ollie's Hogarth membership is invaluable as he needs to keep his fitness levels well up leading up to the events. Six days of racing can be tough and the fitter the sailors are the better they tend to do".

June 16, 2009