A TALENTED young sailor who has enjoyed plenty of success on the national stage has received a prestigious distinction from a Colwyn Bay school.

Freddie MacLaverty has been awarded a sports scholarship at Rydal Penrhos following a wealth of achievements in recent years, which have propelled the sailor to one of the best young prospects in the UK.

Freddie joined the Rydal Penrhos community as a Year 3 pupil back in 2015, showing his love for sailing early on and started developing his initial skills as part of the school’s RYA Accredited programme.

His exploits on the water have seen the Year 8 pupil achieve a considerable amount of competition success, which caught the eye of RYA Cymru Wales selectors that resulted in national squad selections.

The youngster has also been part of the Team GB squad for their winter training programme last year and Freddie hit the ground running during his first competition since the coronavirus lockdown with a high-profile finish at the RS Tera Pro UK Nationals Championships over the Bank Holiday Weekend.

The Llandudno Sailing Club member turned in a tremendous performance against some elite young sailors to finish in second place overall. This is the latest in a series of high finishes at the regional and national levels which are enhancing his reputation.

As part of the sports scholarship, Freddie will receive a £500 contribution each year from the school to further his talent.

Freddie’s involvement in sport has also been a significant asset to the school’s rugby and hockey sides, with the pupil also securing a National Hockey Championship for his club team in Colwyn Bay.