SAILORS from Windermere School returned to base after a summer to remember.

Members of the school's sailing team have started the new academic year as national champions.

Lucy Ferguson, Theo Stewart, Pierce Harris and Alfie Cogger were all crowned the best In the country in their various classes

Fellow pupil Ethan Leahy secured victory in the National Schools Sailing Association Regatta, where he was representing the Cumbria Youth Sailing Team.

The achievements follow Teddy Ferguson’s victory at the RS Feva Inland Championships earlier in the year.

Harris and Cogger had a long summer of competition, beginning at the RS Feva World Championships, at Medemblik Sailing Club in the Netherlands.

After an eventful five days of sailing, they took bronze, while Ferguson and Ewan Wilson finished in a respectable ninth.

It was Harris and Cogger’s last competition in the RS Feva, and they went out on a high, finishing first in the final race of the championships.

Following their bronze medal, they moved up to the 29er class, a two-person high-performance sailing skiff, the same boat Leahy was racing to secure victory at the National Schools regatta at Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire.

Harris and Cogger experienced their first taste of competitive racing in the 29er class in Weymouth, where, after five days of sailing, often in gusty conditions, they finished 26th overall and, in doing so, were crowned UK 29er national junior champions.

Meanwhile, in Carnac, France, the RS Tera World Championships provided an opportunity for some of the school’s younger sailors to shine.

Over the course of five days, 104 children from seven nations competed in varying conditions, with Stewart finishing 13th overall in the Pro Fleet (from 37 entries), and James Johnson 11th in the Sport Fleet (from 66 entries).

Stewart and Johnson also took part in the RS Tera Scottish National Championships at Dalgety Bay.

The first day proved challenging – the combination of a lack of breeze and an ebb tide catching out a few of the sailors – but the second dawned with a fresher breeze which made for some exciting sailing.

In the Sport Fleet, Johnson finished second, while Stwart’s brother, Felix, was one place behind.

In the Pro Fleet, Theo took top spot, meaning he became the Scottish national champion for the second year in succession.

With the summer break all but over, Ferguson set off to the seaside town of Tenby, South Wales, for the RS200 National Championships, where she was racing with Henry Rastrick, from the Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club.

After five days of action, they finished 26th overall, but were the first-placed junior boat, meaning they left Tenby as the UK RS200 national junior champions.

Graeme Rowe, Royal Yachting Association principal and chief sailing instructor at Windermere School, was delighted with the success over the summer.

He said: “Our students have travelled up and down the country and beyond and have earned some valuable race experience, with some outstanding results.

“To have a number of national champions at the school is a fantastic achievement, but it doesn’t come without determination and sacrifice, from the students, their parents, the coaches and the staff.

“I must say a huge well done to all of our students who have taken part in these events over the summer.”

Headmaster Ian Lavender added, “What a wonderful way to begin a new academic year – these achievements do not happen without hard work and support.

“I would like to thank all of those involved and to congratulate all of our sailors who have taken part in the various events over the course of the summer.”