Windermere School is one of fifteen clubs nationwide chosen to become a British Youth Sailing (BYS) Recognised Club.

The accolade is part of a new scheme which celebrates excellence in developing sailing stars of the future.

This new initiative will see the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) work alongside sailing clubs across the country, as it bids to promote grassroots sailing and support junior and youth sailors develop their racing skills.

In 2014, Windermere School became the first school in the UK to achieve RYA Champion Club status.

RYA Champion Clubs are recognised as being ‘Centres of Excellence’ for junior race training and racing, many forming the very foundation of the British Sailing Teams.

To gain this status, the school had to show that it not only introduces young people into racing, but also that it develops their enthusiasm and talent.

A measure of this success is the number of young sailors who have gained places in the RYA Zone and Home Country Squads.

Four years on, the school has now met the exacting standard required to achieve BYS Recognised Club status.

This status sets apart those sailing clubs, such as Windermere School, which demonstrate a commitment to the development of junior and youth racing and race training.

Since achieving its Champion Club status, several Windermere School pupils have won major championships in various classes, the most recent being Felix Stewart and Jake Harris, who won the prestigious Eric Twiname Junior Championship Trophy at Rutland Water last month.

Graeme Rowe is the RYA Principal and Chief Sailing Instructor at Windermere School and has been race coaching for almost twenty years.

He said: “British Youth Sailing status demonstrates our continued commitment to bringing through talented race sailors. Several students have won national titles over the last few years and I have every confidence that more will follow.”

Headmaster Mr Lavender said: “I would like to thank all those who have worked so hard to achieve British Youth Sailing status, in particular Graeme Rowe, who continues to inspire the sailors at Windermere School.”