A COLWYN Bay pupil has combined his love of sailing and gaming to achieve notable success in a high-profile competition.

Freddie MacLaverty, a Year 7 pupil at Rydal Penrhos, has been unable to get on the water in recent months due to social distancing measures surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, but this has not stopped him from boosting his skills in a virtual setting.

This saw Freddie picked to represent Wales at the 2020 Eric Twiname Junior Championships, which was a virtual regatta held recently by the Royal Yachting Association.

The pupil held his nerve in the face of some stern competition throughout the event in his boat named “Bobby3465”, eventually coming away with a superb silver medal finish in second position as a result of his efforts.

He was narrowly pipped to the overall crown by Rose Hallam from the South West, with William James rounding off the podium places.

This was another superb achievement from Freddie, who has earned national sailing squad selections during his time at Rydal Penrhos.

The pupil has also competed at high-profile events across the continent during what has been a standout young career to date.

Sally-Ann Harding, senior school head of Rydal Penrhos, said: “Virtual sailing is a very skilful way of improving your knowledge of the sport away from the water, and Freddie can be enormously proud of the way he performed against others from across the country.

“He is a tremendously talented young sailor who has gained a substantial amount of experience in a short space of time, so hopefully he can get back in the boat soon once this unprecedented time is behind us.”