A Perthshire teenager who learned to sail on the Tay has been singled out for his outstanding contribution while crewing a tall ship on the high seas.
Peter Threipland, of Rait, was voted “outstanding trainee” by the watch leaders and officers on board Lord Nelson and was then nominated for, and went on to win, the Torbay Cup as the outstanding trainee in the entire fleet of 29 tall ships racing from Antwerp to Lisbon and Cadiz.
The 16-year-old returned to Perth Sailing Club in the shadow of Friarton Bridge to be presented with the cup by Bob Watson, the man who helped fuel his sailing ambitions.
“It’s a great honour and privilege as commodore of Perth sailing Club to be allowed to present this cup on behalf of Sail Training International to Peter for his tremendous achievement in the Tall Ship Race through the Bay of Biscay on the Lord Nelson,” said Mr Watson.
“We are so pleased to see that he has continued with his sailing and through his endeavours has brought the cup to Scotland for the first time in its 10 year history.
“On behalf of the club we wish Peter fair winds and all the best for his future voyages.”
The award of the Torbay Cup is accompanied by the grant of a bursary worth 500 euros which can go towards any sail training voyage on a vessel of the recipient’s choice.
As he received the cup beside the Tay, Peter said: “I am thrilled to be given the Torbay Cup and cannot believe that I will have the opportunity of doing it all again, thanks to the generous bursary. I think I might try sailing somewhere warm!”
It was this summer that Peter took part in the tall ships race, sharing his sleeping and waking hours and all his watch duties with individuals from Belgium, Sweden, America, England and many other countries. They were all ages, some with physical disabilities, a few visually impaired.
The citation for the award said Peter had “displayed natural empathy for people with disabilities and of all ages” which made his watch “the happiest and one of the hardest working”.
