We caught up with our 2024 PASS recipients, Flo Tovey, Harry Mills, Wilbur Palmer-Ward, and Thomas Semmens, to find out how their 2024 season has gone so far.  

Through the PASS programme, we provide unparalleled opportunities for young athletes to hone their skills and reach their full performance potential. This includes top-notch coaching tailored to their individual needs, event support to navigate the competitive racing circuit, invaluable mentoring from seasoned professionals, and essential kit to gear them up for success on the water. 

Here’s what Wilbur had to say! 

Reflect on this summer, how do you think you have progressed? 

I feel like this summer has been a very successful one. I have transitioned from the Optimist into the RS Feva (which I have been sailing for the past year) and the 29er, which I started sailing at the start of the summer. I also competed in my last Optimist event, the nationals in Wales. This was in a very wet and windy event where we only sailed on two out of the five days. I was very disappointed with my result from the nationals, and I need to work on my strength especially moving into the 29er but happy with the success which I have had within the Optimist fleet and hopeful when moving into the 29er.   

Looking ahead, what are your goals for the next sailing season, and how do you plan to achieve them?   

My goals for the next sailing season are to improve within the 29er. We’re hoping to do winter training and through this to gain a solid bit of experience within the boat to hopefully compete in the GP events next season and come away with some good results. We’re also hoping to do some training with the Performance Academy to fine tune our skills to build on the experience from the winter training. As well as this, I am hoping to do a few events in the Feva and hoping to come away with some top five finishes overall in the GP’s.  

What was the most memorable moment of the summer season for you, and why? 
My most memorable moment (and probably the funniest!) of the summer was definitely the first time that we sailed the 29er. It was already a nice day with lots of other boats waiting to launch on the beach at HISC. We had pulled the boat down to the beach and we were launching it but as soon as we got in, it capsized! We righted it but it capsized again on top of us. This must’ve happened for about half an hour and everyone was staring and laughing at us! We then managed to get sailing which was a relief! We instantly knew that it was a very unstable boat and I think on that first day of sailing it we must’ve capsized about 40 times!  

If you could sail with any famous sailor, past or present, who would it be and what would you want to learn from them? 

I think, if I could sail with any famous sailor, it would definitely be James Peters. I had the privilege to meet him as he went to my school and at my sailing club (which is his one as well) we all cheered him on in the Olympic medal race. He was ranked first in the world from 2018 to 2019 in the 49er and just being around him was an amazing experience. He also has gone through the same path of boats that I am transitioning through: Optimists, Fevas and 29ers so it would be amazing to sail with someone with such in depth knowledge and experience.