A former top dinghy sailor from Blackwater Sailing Club has been selected to sail for Australia.

Clive Beeton, who used to live at Chignall Smealy, near Broomfield, and whose wife is Australian, moved to Perth, Western Australia, three years ago and is now a Blackwater Sailing CLub associate member.

When he moved to Australia, Beeton, now in his 30s, joined Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club and began sailing Flying Fifteens, the three-man Uffa Fox-designed keelboat, which became a popular boat worldwide after its launch in 1948.

Beeton has become so successful in the class that he has now been chosen to represent Australia - even though he is English - in the world championships in Dublin in July.

When he was at Blackwater, Beeton enjoyed considerable success, winning a number of major prizes, chiefly in the one-design Fireball racing dinghy and the 14ft clinker-built West Mersea sprite, both of which have been popular at the club for more than 60 years.

Published Thursday, May 1, 2003

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