DOUBLE Olympic gold medallist sailor Sarah Ayton tried out a new sport in Portland Harbour and got hooked.

The former Yngling star was taken out of her comfort zone with Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) but soon mastered the challenge with a little help from Weymouth Watersports.

She braved a cold and windy day to give an Olympic boost to the new SUP taster sessions and boot camp being launched by Rich Fabbri this weekend.

Taster sessions will be held all day on Saturday and Sunday from 9.30am until 5pm at the Ferry-bridge car park, formerly the site of Blue Water Horizons.

In addition the first boot camp will ease would-be paddleboarders into the sport gently at 1pm on Sunday and possibly again at 5pm.

Fabbri, who owns Weymouth Watersports, was delighted to have the support of Ayton at his launch event.

He said: “It was so cold and windy but Sarah is a real sport.

“She is getting into SUPing as a new way to keep fit after having her baby and we at Weymouth Watersports are getting her started.

“We will be starting the SUP boot camps this weekend and holding Kayak and SUP taster sessions, starting this weekend and every weekend, for the whole of April.”

Stand Up Paddleboarding, or SUPing, as it is known is one of the world’s fastest growing Watersports.

It has shot into the spotlight with top celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Pierce Brosnan, Mathew McConaughey and Cameron Diaz all being photographed on SUP boards and the sport has evolved into many guises, from surfing waves to long distance racing.

Fabbri added: “The action of paddling a SUP is a total body workout in itself, targeting most muscle groups.

“There is zero impact on joints and you are in a natural standing position so putting no undue pressure on any part of the body.

“The courses are designed to start you at zero and take you to SUPer hero over a steady and structured time frame.”

Each taster session is an hour long and costs £5 per person.

The boot camp is normally £6 per person but has the introductory rate of £5 per person if you bring a friend.

To book email info@weymouthwatersports.co.uk or telephone Fabbri on 07743346468.