In mid-May the Club was honoured to host GBR Sailing Squad member Catrin Williams, who joined Junior sailors on the water before giving an inspiring talk about her sailing journey.
She explained how she had first started sailing at the age of 10, and now at the age of 22 is sailing full-time with the British Sailing Squad. She held the rapt attention of Juniors and parents alike as she explained how she dealt with Covid restrictions to travel, 
looking to take any opportunity to get on the water to train, sometimes with Oppie sailors half her age.
She took a very positive attitude to embracing each new challenge and worked each day to be just a little bit better."Very inspiring," was one teenage sailor's comment.
Not always the fastest or the best, she has progressed by her focus on getting a little bit better every day. Her quotes, "What you do on your ordinary days determines what you can 
do on your extraordinary days" and "Courage is having fear and doing it anyway" particularly chimed with many of the sailors and their parents.
There were 52 Juniors on the water at SYC on that Friday evening, some coaching and instructing, but most sailing. In a change to the usual training routine, the Club ran races for all boats - from beginners right up to the Race Groups - and it was great that Catrin was able to join sailors on the water.
One parent said, "It was great to hear her enthusiasm to approaching training and competitions - always looking for opportunities for little gains and getting back up again from knock-backs."
Catrin also presented the Pathway Club plaque to Commodore Robin Charles.
We are honoured that Catrin visited us, and will be following her campaign to go to the Olympic Games in eight years' time.
All images © Freya Ballantyne