Chichester Harbour is a world-class destination for dinghy sailing, and several Olympic sailors have honed their skills here over the years. Many of the harbour’s sailing clubs have thriving junior sections and there’s a vibrant junior race scene. Emsworth teenager, Amelia Kent talks to us about how sailing in Chichester Harbour has fuelled her ambitions for the sport.
Amelia’s first taste of sailing was aged six, in sunnier climes. Living in Bermuda whilst her Dad worked for an America’s Cup team, she sailed after school and loved capsizing in the balmy waters.
Moving back to the UK as winter approached, her first taste of a Chichester Harbour capsize was a bit of a shock. Rigging her boat in the chilly rain and wind at Hayling Island Sailing Club (HISC) she vividly remembers asking her mum: “Are they really going to make us go out in this?!”
But Amelia is no fair-weather sailor, now fifteen she laughs at this memory, and we talk about the value of experiencing challenging conditions. Sailing year-round, she’s often chipped ice off her boat, and has even needed to defrost the mainsail with hot water to furl it up the mast. Apparently it is still fun, even with two pairs of gloves, three pairs of socks and three hats. Type two fun we agree – committed young sailors are certainly resilient.
It’s the fun that shines through as Ameilia describes sailing in the many Youth Weeks across the harbour. Sailing with friends, exploring on the water, swimming, spotting seals; lifelong friendships are forged from summers in Chichester Harbour.
Representing Great Britain
Amelia’s sailing has progressed beyond the harbour entrance, after the challenges of lockdown she began travelling to regattas elsewhere with her “Opi” (Optimist dinghy). Stacking up experience, building resilience through the tough times and hard races, in 2024 she was selected to represent Great Britain at the European Optimist Championships in Pisa, Italy.
“Wearing the GBR logo felt really cool, from the fun of the opening ceremony to the challenges of the races, being part of the team amongst sailors from all over Europe was an incredible experience.”
Of the seven young people selected for the European Championships, three came from HISC, testament to the quality of coaching and sailing here in Chichester Harbour. What is it that makes Chichester Harbour such a good place to learn? Amelia says it’s the best; there’s access to all conditions, wind, weather, tide, space, channels. With so much to consider, strategy and reading the conditions are critical – it’s like chess on the water. And it’s beautiful!
Has her experience representing Great Britain given her a taste for more? It certainly has. Inspired by her uncle, Olympic sailor Ian Percy’s gold and silver medals, Amelia’s ambition is to sail at the Olympics too. Her commitment is impressive, juggling schoolwork with a busy training schedule – most weekends are spent sailing. She talks more of resilience, dealing with failures, taking the learning from when races don’t go well and getting back out there anyway.
Has she got any advice for a young person thinking about getting into sailing?
“Enjoy it, don’t get too worried, have fun with your friends and take the opportunities when they come!”
Find out more about the opportunities for children and young people to sail in Chichester Harbour by contacting your local sailing club. All offer RYA-accredited training, and 2025 will see the role-out of new pathways for young people to get into racing.
This post was taken from the 2025 edition of Harbour Life; you can read the magazine at this link, or pop into the Harbour Office at Itchenor to pick up a copy.