First Year Sailor Meets HRH Princess Anne

In May, 12-year-old Angus Cockburn (second from left) was chosen to meet the Princess Royal, RYA President, as part of her commemorative visit to Hayling Island Sailing Club (HISC) which is 100 years old this year. 

Angus was involved in the centenary exhibition sailing races for the club juniors and was chosen by the Rear Commodore to represent the youth to receive HRH Princess Anne. 

The Princess enjoyed starting various youth and women on water races on board committee boat "Lady G", before arriving back at HISC, where Her Royal Highness briefly chatted with a small group of members.  

Commenting on the experience, Angus said, “It was an honour to be chosen to meet HRH The Princess Royal, we talked about the club’s centenary celebrations and how we are looking forward to restrictions being lifted soon. Princess Anne is a keen yachtswoman and we are very proud that she has taken the time to visit us during the 100th anniversary.” 

Angus comes from a family of keen sailors and was first out on the water aged just 3 years old. The family joined the Hayling Island Sailing Club for it’s fantastic youth section, since then Angus has been through all the various youth sailing training activities, race weeks, regattas, national events.  He started in an Optimist dinghy and now sails a RS Tera single hander, as well as a RS Feva double hander.