Former OnBoarders compete in Clipper Race contest final 

Two former OnBoarders are the finalists in a competition to win a place on the 2015/6 Clipper Race

Two young adults who started their sailing lives with OnBoard have become the finalists in an Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation competition.

Following nominations from all over the UK, Charlie Stannard, 19, from Tower Hamlets, London, and Heather Thomas, 18, from Otley, North Yorkshire, have been shortlisted by legendary sailing duo Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Sir Ben Ainslie for the chance to win a crew place on the challenging Pacific Ocean leg of the Clipper 2015-16 Round the World Yacht Race.

The unique prize, worth more than £10,000, was donated by Clipper Race founder and chairman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston to the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation, the charity that Sir Ben Ainslie helped to establish in memory of his friend and Olympic sailing gold medallist Andrew ‘Bart’ Simpson. The Foundation uses sailing to develop personal skills that improve young people’s ability to succeed in life and access to jobs and careers in the maritime sector.

Charlie Stannard, 19, was nominated by RDO Steve Mitchell. He attended OnBoard sessions at the Docklands Sailing & Watersports Centre (DSWC) through his school, George Green’s in Tower Hamlets. He started dinghy racing in the London Youth Games, and competed in RS Feva national and world championship events. Having become a dinghy instructor at 16 and a safety boat driver at 17, Charlie now volunteers and works at DSWC, supporting OnBoard and Sailability sessions. He also volunteers as a safety boat driver and mentor at the London Youth Games.

Heather Thomas, 18, was nominated by Norman Stephens, senior instructor and trustee from Otley Sailing Club (OSC), in recognition of all the hard work and commitment she has shown from an early age to actively encourage sailing for all ages and abilities. She had her first taste of sailing on board a flotilla yacht around the Greek Islands when she was seven years old but it was not until two years later that she started dinghy sailing at Otley through OnBoard, firstly in the Mirror that her grandad built in 1971 and then in OSC's fleet of Picos and Comet Trios. She attained all the levels of the RYA Youth Training Scheme and then became an assistant instructor, finally becoming a fully-fledged dinghy instructor when she was 16. She is now a regular instructor at OSC's OnBoard Youth Club and is also a volunteer on the Ocean Youth Trust vessel James Cook, helping out during OSC's Sailability programme Sailfree when time allows.

The finalists will now both attend the Clipper Race HQ in Gosport, Hampshire at the end of March, 2015 for extensive on the water training. Following assessment from their skipper, one person will then be selected to win the overall prize, including three further levels of race training and return flights to and from the race. The runner-up will also be given the opportunity to complete the full Clipper Race training, worth £5,000 alone.

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