Brothers Matt and Ben Lulham-Robinson have been selected for the Royal Yachting Association’s 420 Youth Squad which comprises the best under-19 sailors in the country.
The Ilkley Grammar School students were selected at a recent assessment weekend held at the Olympic sailing venue at Weymouth.
Matt, 15, and Ben, 13, who live in Menston, had to undergo a physical assessment and sailing tests before being chosen as one of 12 crews. For Matt, who helms the boat, it was a tremendous boost after recovering from a dislocated elbow suffered playing rugby for Ilkley Grammar School last January.
He had been granted a place in the RYA Transition Squad December 2011 but couldn’t sail for seven months.
The selection has also resulted in Ben, 14, having to make a sacrifice. The talented number eight has had to give up playing rugby for Ilkley Grammar School and Ilkley Rugby Club.
The boys, who are the reigning world under-16 champions after winning the event in Albany, West Australia last Christmas in a Mirror dinghy, now want to be one of the seven crews which Great Britain will select for next year’s Youth World Championships in Spain.
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