WEYMOUTH Sailing Club played host to newly-crowned Yachting Journalist Association (YJA) Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year Nick Craig when he ran a training weekend for OK class dinghy sailors.

Sailors from afar afield as Norfolk braved the Arctic conditions to get some useful tips out on the water from the world champion.

Craig, 37, is the world, UK national and inland title holder in the OK dinghy. He also won the RS400 national championship last year.

To conclude an outstanding year, Craig went on to secure an overall win of the extremely challenging Endeavour Championship for the fifth time.

The Endeavour Championship is an annual invitation-only event, held at Burnham-on-Crouch, to determine the overall dinghy champion of champions from the UK’s most popular dinghy racing classes.

Winning the Endeavour Trophy is, and always has been, recognised as an ultimate dinghy racing achievement.

So to win five times, representing different classes throughout the years, puts Craig among the most versatile and talented dinghy sailors in the world.

His sailing began with the Frensham Ponds Sailing Club, near Haslemere, Surrey.

Other finalists for the YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year award included Ben Ainslie.

* THIS weekend, local National Squib owners have their annual class dinner at Weymouth Sailing Club. Their guest speaker is Dean & Reddyhoff manager Russ Levett.

* NEXT Friday, Weymouth Sailing Club opens its doors for its annual fundraiser in aid of the RNLI.

As well as dog and horse racing, a fish and chip supper is included in the £10 entrance fee.

Come on down and help the local life-savers. For more details contact Sharon May on 772072.