DANIEL WRAY has become the first Channel Islands sailor to be selected for the Great Britain Optimist team. The 13-year-old Elizabeth College student attended training over the winter with the National Optimist intermediate squad, after which he was invited to the GB selection trials where the top 80 boys and girls, aged 15 and under, competed over two weekends at the Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy. The trials were a series of 12 races.

Wray, in his first full season competing in the UK in the Optimist dinghy class, was placed 30th after the first weekend and he then rose to 18th overall on the second weekend following some very consistent performances where he came in the top 15 of every race.

‘My ranking when I went to trials was 56th and I was hoping to do better than that – maybe get in the top 40 or 50,’ said Wray.

‘To be 30th [after the first weekend] was good and my aim was then to keep that place, so I was really pleased to get in the top 21 and be in the squad.’

From the trials, the top five sailors represent GB in this year’s World Championships in Ecuador, the next eight go to Sweden for the European Championships and the next eight compete in the French Nationals at Sables d’Olonne.

That means that the Sarnian has earned a place in the team for France in July.

In addition, by virtue of being in the top 20 sailors he has also been invited to train and compete with the national ‘summer’ squad. This will involve training in England and competing in events such as the Belgian Open next month.

‘I have got another year at this age group and to get in a higher national squad is my aim for the future,’ he said.

‘It is quite hard to practise in the week so I do more on weekends. I practise on Saturdays and race on Sundays.’

Wray was introduced to the sport by the Guernsey Sailing Trust and then became a member of the Guernsey Yacht Club.

It is through the support of them, his coaches Mike Chapple and Mike Higgins, his school and funding from the Sports Development Unit, that the youngster has been able to reach such a standard.

‘Any youngsters who do well we are obviously really pleased about and Optimists is a competitive class so this is an excellent achievement for Daniel,’ said John Elliott, Commodore of the Guernsey Yacht Club.

‘We hope he will do well for the team.

‘There are several [children] from Guernsey who are in various national squads, so we are doing very well with the youngsters,’ he added.