Parsons sailing expertise nets place for GB men (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Parsons sailing expertise nets place for GB men

AS a junior, Elliott Parsons proved so successful in the Cadets class at South Cerney Sailing Club that he was eventually selected for the British Cadet world team.

Now aged 17, the former Kingshill School pupil has just qualified for the Great Britain 420 men's world team on the strength of his results at Hayling Island over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

Parson, from Cirencester, teamed up with another 17-year-old, James Goss, from Basingstoke, only last September - but together they have come on in leaps and bounds.

They spent the winter with their own training programme, during which time they won the 420 regatta at Carsington in Derbyshire.

But after finishing in eighth place overall in the world team series at Weymouth and Swansea recently, Parsons and Goss were in with a good shape and with a very good chance of making it into the GB team.

At the start of two hectic days, that involved a tough schedule of eight races at Hayling Island, the pair came out of the fog to claim ninth place.

Happily, and despite being blacked-flagged in race 14, the aspiring hopefuls, who do all their training on the sea at Lymington, went on to finish eighth overall (sixth male) and the third youth boat.

This meant a double success for the happy crew, as not only were they selected for the 420 worlds in Brest, France, but also for the British 420 Junior European Team being staged at Lake Gada in Italy.

Set to depart for Brest on July 22, the pair go straight on to Garda on August 21 before returning to the UK on August 22 and just in time for the 420 Nationals in Weymouth.