PORTLAND teenager James Bishop is celebrating after being selected to represent Great Britain at the Laser 4.7 World and European Championships.

Dinghy sailor Bishop, 14, fought off tough competition to be among the nine boys picked from 28 contenders for the championship line-up this July.

Qualification took place over two freezing cold weekends in January and February, the first on a lake just outside of London and the second at Lymington.

At the first regatta Bishop came seventh out of the 33-boat mixed fleet, posting several top five race finishes. In the second he improved to sixth overall with four top five finishes and a race win.

Bishop, pictured inset, said: “It has been a fair series.

“There has been a bit of everything, some heavy winds which have suited the more physical bigger sailors such as myself as well as some light and medium winds which have suited the smaller lighter sailors.”

There was a very tense wait before the e-mail arrived from the selection panel with the good news.

Bishop added: “I was so happy that I had been selected as this is what I had been working towards for a year and a half.”

The All Saints pupil is now stepping up his training for the big event, which will be held on Lake Balaton, Hungary from July 6 to 13.

He said: “School have been very good in giving me the time off to attend the competition and I’m very proud to go to a school that will support my career.

“It is now just a case of fitting in all of my preparations. Fitness training takes up a large portion of my time as the boat I sail is very physical.

“Also as nights get lighter I will be training after school as every hour really does count.”

Bishop’s close training buddy Tristan Bracegirdle, who lives in London but is a fellow member of Castle Cove Sailing Club, has also been selected for the competition.

Bishop praised the Royal Yachting Association’s Laser 4.7 National Junior Squad for offering a 'great set up' for young sailors.

He also thanked his dedicated coaches Marcus Lynch and Richard Woof and sponsors O3 wetsuits and Portland Rotary Club for helping him to achieve his goal, plus his parents for regularly driving him up and down the country for events and training.

Bishop is keen to attract new sponsors to support his sailing career and anyone interested is asked to email portlanders@sky.com