RAMSGATE student Lewis Stone has won the National Youth Champion title in the Laser Vago racing dinghy class beating competition from around the UK and Ireland.

A series of six races over two days in strong winds decided the title in the prestigious tournament at Abersoch in North Wales.

Year 9 Chatham House student Lewis and his fellow crew member Ed Cowell were the youngest competitors but showed that age is no barrier, finishing day one in overall second slot with positions of third, first and fifth from the first three races.

On day two they were third in the fourth race, but ran into trouble at the start of race five. Their main halyard – the rope that holds up the main sail – broke and they retired.

The competition allowed competitors to ‘discard’ one of their six performance results, so the final race became critical. They sailed well and held first place from the start. The victory gave them the overall title in the face of more experienced opposition.

They received their prize – new sails for their racing dinghy – at the presentation event at South Carmarthenshire Yacht Club.

The team have also represented Kent schools in the National Schools Sailing Championships in Plymouth.

The late former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath, a former student at Chatham House, was a keen sailor and won the Admirals Cup in his yacht Morning Cloud in the 1970s.