Bronze medal for Budden at British Champs

Talented 17-year-old Ellie Walton is successfully juggling national sailing glory with studying for her A-levels.
King's High sailor Ellie Walton with sailing partner Dan Budden.King's High sailor Ellie Walton with sailing partner Dan Budden.
King's High sailor Ellie Walton with sailing partner Dan Budden.

Walton, who lives in Kenilworth and studies at King’s High, Warwick, won a bronze medal at the recent British Youth Sailing Championships at Hayling Island and was the only girl on the podium in her class.

The championships are the premier event in the Royal Yachting Association calendar and are used as a selection tool for the British Sailing Team members.

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Walton, who has been sailing since the age of five and is a member of Draycote Water Sailing Club, said: “I wasn’t expecting to do so well as my sailing partner, Dan Budden, and I have not sailed together since last August and I have only done a few events because of my A-level studies.

“The competition was quite tough so to win bronze was amazing.”

Walton, who is aiming to study engineering at university, finally moved into bronze medal position on the final day of the week-long championships.

Along with Budden she was the first mixed crew as well as third Great Britain boat, coming fourth overall in the competition.

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She has previously been in the junior Team GB RS Feva national sailing squad and finished 33rd in the RS Feva World Championships in France.

She is now looking forward to the National Championships in Weymouth in August.

Her success has been matched by fellow King’s High sailor Charlotte Rockett who has qualified for the Youth European Sailing Championships.

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