A YOUNG sailor from Dorset has enjoyed a great season on the water and is now looking forward to his winter training programme.

Castle Cove Sailing Club (CCSC) member Alex McFarlane, aged 15, has participated in a number of major events this season.

These have ranged from a Topper Regional Traveller event at CCSC, where the youngster took the win in a strong fleet, and the Topper National Championships, at which he gained a top-20 finish.

McFarlane also attended the Topper World Championships at Fraglia Vela Riva on Lake Garda in Italy.

He gained a position in the hotlycontested Gold Fleet and finished in 19th overall.

This season also saw McFarlane make the transition from his Topper dinghy to the Laser Radial.

More recently, he attended the Laser Radial Autumn Qualifier at Paignton Sailing Club.

Unfortunately, the teenager suffered a boat breakage but was determined to compete at the next event.

McFarlane moved on from that disappointment to compete at Hayling Island Sailing Club where the fleet raced in strong winds and a long way from the shore.

The talented teen went on to take part in the Royal Yachting Association’s (RYA) Youth Squad Fitness Benchmarking at the Osprey Leisure Centre Gym.

He gained success there and went on to meet his fellow team members and enjoyed a great time on the water with the coaches.

McFarlane has now started his Radial winter training and is on the RYA’s Youth Squad T1 programme.

Over the next few months he will take part in a further five training weekends.

All of these will be held at Rutland Water Sailing Club and Queen Mary Sailing Club.

In order to support his youth squad training, McFarlane will sail regularly from CCSC as he hopes to improve on this season’s success.