European gold for sailor Gilly

1:23pm Wednesday 8th August 2007

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THIRTEEN year old Gilly Sutcliffe from Marlborough and 15 year old Adam Butler from Dorset are the new Hobie Cat Dragoon European sailing champions.

The pair won the U16 class at the championships held in rough sea conditions off the coast of Holland, near Rotterdam.

Gilly is encouraged by his father Sean Sutcliffe, who owns Benchmark Furniture at Kintbury, and lives in Kingsbury Street in Marlborough.

His father, who travels with him to competitions, said: "The sailing was fast and furious in high winds and mountainous seas.

"Many sailing boats and rescue craft did not make it off the beach as they capsized or were broken in the surf.

"Gilly and Adam managed however to sail expertly throughout the four day series and took the gold medal for Britain in both the junior and open classes."

Back at home in Wiltshire Gilly - who shares homes with his mother in Pewsey and father in Marlborough - spoke of his passion for racing and winning.

He is a student at St John's School in Marlborough and about to move up to Year 9 in September.

Gilly has been sailing since he was seven when both he and twin brother Joe showed an interest in boats.

Joe has moved on to other hobbies, particularly rugby, while Gilly has never lost his love for the sea and for sailing.

Gilly said: "It's fast, it's fun and it's exciting.

"It is good competition and I want to do well -I just love the sea."

Gilly said conditions were tricky throughout the four days of the European championships at Gravenzande where the contestants had to contend with winds approaching gale force.

He and Adam, who lives at Christchurch in Dorset, were sailing in the Hobie Catamaran Dragoon class.

Although living almost as far from the coast as it is possible to be in Great Britain, Gilly spends most weekends sailing.

His father said: "On seven out of ten weekends for the past two years Gilly has been sailing - either training or in competitions."

Sailing involves, first, a 70-mile drive to the specialist centre in Weymouth where Gilly and Adam train with the England squad.

Gilly finished third in his class in the world championships last year and has now set his sights on picking up another medal in next year's world championships in South Africa.

Gilly is also pinning his hopes on qualifying for the ISAF Youth Olympics in 2008 which, he said, could be a stepping-stone for the British Olympic squad for 2012 in London.