Sixth Form student Edward Grey has got tender toes after recent sailing training on Windermere. Along with his twin sister Beth he is one half of the reigning National Inland Mirror champions, so sailing for them is not just a summer sport. Training takes place all year and the duo is often out on the water at their club, the Royal Windermere Yacht Club.
Obviously, at this time of the year, temperatures out on the lake can get quite cold, and for Ed this has caused something of a problem. When he is moving around the dinghy at speed Ed likes to have the extra feel that bare feet provide, however, this habit may well have to change after he recently broke bones in both his feet after he had been out training.
Although it had not occurred to him whilst sailing, his feet had lost feeling due to the cold and as he jumped from the dinghy onto the quay he broke his toes! As he hobbled around school Ed was able to see the funny side of it. "I like to sail bare-footed to have more ‘feel' for what the boat is doing, but it never occurred to me that my feet had gone dead! I have learnt my lesson and now wear neoprene ankle supports which still allow me to feel the vibrations of the boat, but still keep my feet warm".
Ed and Beth are both training hard for their next big event, the Mirror European Sailing Championship in Ireland next August before possibly bowing out of the Mirror Class at the World Championships in Australia, later in the year.
