Sebastian Kempe is holding his own competing against Olympic calibre sailors at the UKLA National Championship in Weymouth, England.

The promising Bermudian is presently seventeenth among a formidable 97-strong Laser Radial class going into today’s final day of the three-day regatta being contested on Portland Harbour.

Kempe produced three top ten finishes, with a best showing of seventh, during the six-race qualifying series en route to securing his spot in the gold fleet. He is also the overall leader in the under-16 age group.

“The fleet is stacked with talent from the British Sailing Team and Olympians, so I am very happy to be doing so well,” he said.

Kempe has sailed consistently in variable conditions ranging from 13 to more than 30 knots over the past two days and now hopes to make a final push up the standings to cap an impressive showing at the event when racing resumes today.

“My goal for the last day is to consolidate on my consistent results so far and try to crack into the top 15 in the fleet,” Kempe, who attends the Royal Hospital School in the UK, said. “I am looking forward to finishing the regatta on a positive note in the gold fleet.”

The son of Somers Kempe, the former Royal Bermuda Yacht Club commodore, is making his debut in the Laser Radial and as recent results suggest has quickly adapted to the Olympic class dinghy since progressing from the Optimist class.

“This is the first major regatta in the Radial class for me and the regatta serves as a good benchmark for further training in the future,” Kempe added. “The regatta is mainly a learning experience having only just started to sail the boat after lockdown was lifted earlier this year in the UK.”

Britain’s Ali Young holds a two-point advantage at the top of the leader board over compatriot Hannah Snellgrove, with Arthur Farley a further four points behind.