Thirteen year old Oliver Loughead surpassed his own expectations at the Topper dinghy class World Championships at Lake Garda in Italy last week when he finished in tenth place in a huge 81 strong fleet.

David Taylor and Paul Barbour in Taz with Emma Lovegrove, Steve Ferris and Connor Brennan won this top event on its first time on Belfast Lough.

Realising that many prospective sailors just don’t have the opportunity to try the sport, some BYC and RUYC members have taken the bull by the horns and gone out on a limb with the Academy.