A gifted 17-year-old sailor from Ramsbottom has achieved his dream of being selected to represent Great Britain on the world stage. Billy Morris, who trains at Delph Sailing Club in Bolton, has earned a coveted place on the prestigious British Youth Sailing Team. This major milestone places the talented teenager firmly on the pathway towards future Olympic competition.
World Championships Qualification
Building on his success, Billy has also qualified for the ILCA 6 Youth World Championships taking place this summer in Aarhus, Denmark. Billy said: “It’s a huge honour to be selected for the British Youth Sailing Team and to qualify for the World Championships. I’m really excited to represent Great Britain and test myself against the best sailors in the world.”
Remarkable Rise in Sailing
The young sportsman has enjoyed a remarkable rise in the sport since first learning to sail during the lockdown. He has progressed through regional and national competitions to reach the very top level of youth sailing in under five years. With the costs of international competition continuing to rise, Billy is now looking for support from local businesses to help fund his upcoming campaign.
Family Pride and Support
His father, Paul added: “We’re incredibly proud of what Billy has achieved. Coming from a non-sailing family, he’s had to work incredibly hard to reach this level in a sport that is traditionally dominated by athletes from the South Coast with much easier access to year-round sailing and established pathways. Sailing has completely changed his life. After leaving school at a young age and being home educated, the sport gave him confidence, structure and a real sense of purpose again. To now see him representing Great Britain and qualifying for a World Championship is something we could never have imagined a few years ago.”
Local businesses or people who would love to support Billy’s exciting journey can get in touch by emailing bmbillymorris@icloud.com or via Instagram @theflatcapsailor.
