Last month we announced a fantastic competition to win a fully-spec'd Optimist Winner 3D Star worth £3,500 along with £200 of Gill kit. The competition received a staggering 2,000 entries in over three weeks, both online and at the brand stand at the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show. On the Sunday of the show, our company founder Nick Gill announced the lucky prize-winner. The boat ended up going to a thoroughly deserving winner: 12 year-old Optimist sailor Charlie Fensom, who lives in Yorkshire. At the announcement Nick Gill said, “I'd like to say a little bit about the Optimist fleet because Gill has been one of the sponsors for five years now. It really is the future of sailing, the future of our industry and sport. If you go to one of these events and see 300-500 of these little boats on the start line, with 300-500 young children having an absolute blast, it really melts your heart and it makes you glad to be involved in the sport and the future.” Charlie and her parents collected her Optimist Winner 3D Star during a special visit to the company headquarters on Friday. The family also received a guided tour of our site with Product Development Director Matt Clarke, where Charlie was allowed behind-the-scenes to see the design process as well as our in-house testing facilities. Charlie then selected her £200 of Gill kit, before they departed happily with their brand new boat. When asked about what she thought of her fantastic new prize, Charlie Fensom said: “It’s so cool! The first chance I’m going to get to sail it is next weekend, and I can’t wait. My mates will be very jealous.” Her father, Stephen Fensom, added: “The timing of this is perfect for Charlie. She’s just finishing her second year and this is going to help take her sailing to the next level. So thank you very much Gill.”