Isle of Wight sailor wins Tera Sport World Championship

Young Isle of Wight sailor Freddie Harrison has been crowned Tera Sport World Champion following an impressive performance in Germany.

Freddie, who receives travel support from Wightlink through the Isle of Wight Council’s Talented Athlete Scheme, took gold in an incredibly close and competitive championship, with just one point separating him from the sailor in second place.

At the championships in Travemünde, Germany, challenging conditions, including high winds and heavy seas, forced one day of racing to be cancelled. The remaining races proved a real test of the competitors’ skills, with strong winds and big waves for much of the event before the final day brought very light winds. Freddie’s consistency across the championship ultimately secured him the world title.

Freddie has been sailing the Tera for four years and is a member of Gurnard Sailing Club. He has always loved being on the water, enjoying boats, kayaks and paddle boards, and has put in considerable time and effort to develop his sailing.

He was selected for the National Performance Academy last year and has enjoyed a particularly successful 2026 season. Freddie has enjoyed an outstanding season, winning the Tera Start of Seasons event, the Inland Championships and finishing second overall at the National Championships before going on to secure the world title. His World Championship victory is the latest achievement in what has been an outstanding year.

Freddie said: “It was a really close competition and the conditions were challenging, especially with the strong winds and waves. We didn’t know for certain that I’d won until the results came out, so it was an amazing feeling.

“I love sailing and the Tera is a fun boat and perfect for learning to sail. I’d definitely encourage other young people to give it a try.”

Sam Woodman, Wightlink’s Partnerships Marketing Manager, said: “Huge congratulations to Freddie on an incredible achievement. Winning a world championship is a fantastic result, particularly in such a closely fought competition, and it’s brilliant to see his hard work paying off. We’re proud to support Freddie through the Isle of Wight Talented Athlete Scheme and look forward to seeing what he achieves next.”

Wightlink provides travel support to members of the Isle of Wight Talented Athlete Scheme which is run by the Isle of Wight Council, helping them to attend competitions and training on the mainland as they develop their sporting careers.

Island youngsters interested in trying dinghy sailing should contact their local sailing club or find out more about opportunities to get involved through the Isle of Wight Youth Dinghy Championships and local sailing clubs.