The surf’s definitely up for Sarah Jackson after her appearance in this week’s World Windsurfing Championships.
The 14-year-old was one of the most junior competitors in the 400-strong field at the five-day event in Medemblik, Holland.
Sarah admits her highlight came before she embarked upon a gruelling programme of 11 races.
Sarah – daughter of Physiofit’s Angela Jackson and Tim of Gascoigne Halman in Alderley Edge – was chosen to carry the Team GB flag at the opening ceremony.
It’s all a far cry from her first, tentative steps as a nine-year-old and although she was competing against the best windsurfers from 31 countries in six continents in the Under-17 class, she finished the week a hugely respectable 48th – a great result in her first international event in which the courses are longer and more arduous than the events which are generally found in the UK.
"We trained for four days before the event started to get used to the conditions, which were extremely windy," she said. "I have had the most fantastic week and all in all, despite being the hardest endurance event I have ever done, mentally and physically, this was an amazing experience and one I’ll never forget."
Sarah took up the sport seriously as a member of Astbury Sailsports, Congleton, when she was 10 and her first competition saw her win the North Zone Championships.
