The 5 youngsters currently forming the team consist of 3 girls and 2 guys.

Alex Gooch

Age: 19
Role on board: Skipper
Sailing hero: Ian Walker

Sailing history: I started sailing with my local Scout group, enjoying that I joined the Adur Centre Sailing Club and worked through the Youth Scheme. After which I enrolled on an assistant instructors course at the Sussex Yacht Club.
Here I became a Dinghy instructor and sailed on the local race yachts as well as joining the Youth Team. Sailing all along the south coast including Cowes week. After three Cowes weeks I applied for an Yachting and Powerboat internship in Southampton, which is where I have been for the last 12 months.

George Hinchliffe

Age: 17
Role on boat: Traveller/main
Sailing hero: Ben Anslie

Sailing history: I first started sailing aged ten at sea scouts before joining Sussex Yacht Club and sailing at family and cadets with the club; I then went through the RYA courses to became an RYA instructor with SYC and help on the RYA courses that are run through the yacht club.
I raced Cowes week last year as a member of the youth team as well as the 24hr race at West Lancs and many other amazing sailing experiences through the club.

Millie Webb

Age: 17
Role on the boat: foredeck/jib

Sailing history: I first started sailing through the school on an OnBoard course. I then continued to do more courses and develop my sailing further.  I got given the opportunity to join the youth team and race in Cowes Week, so I have also been able to do some racing. I have recently done my dinghy instructors and can now help out on courses and get more people into sailing.

Olivia Cleary

Age: 16
Role on the boat: Main/Spinnaker Sheet

Sailing history: My first taster of sailing was through the Girl Guides. Following this, after simply picking up a leaflet at school, I took part in one of the OnBoard courses at Sussex Yacht Club and haven’t been away since!
I worked through my sailing RYA stages on a range of course through Sussex Yacht Club, including the Young Sailors Week, Family and Cadet evening sessions and the Winter Training Series which led onto the Cooler Racing Series.
I worked towards my Assistant Instructor which I completed in 2011 and have taken part in many amazing events with the Shoreham Youth Team including the 24 hour race and Cowes Week in 2012. In July 2013, I also completed my Dinghy Instructors course and now regularly help at the club teaching children, adults and deaf sailors. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to go to America to compete in the Sonar World Championships.

Hayley Weir

Age: 18
Role on the boat: Tactician/navigator

Sailing history: I started sailing on Laser Pico’s with my brother when I was four years old and began working my way up the RYA stages when I was aged eight. I completed my Dinghy Instructors Qualification two years ago and joined Sussex Yacht Club shortly after, helping out on youth courses in the summer and racing in the winter.
Other than a few months in Greece sailing yachts with my family, I had only ever sailed dinghies. It was after becoming a member of Shoreham Youth Team that I started sailing keelboats and competed at Cowes Week last year in a Sonar; an experience that I will never forget.