Hello sailor! Kate’s queen of catamarans
THE Duchess of Cambridge showed her competitive streak yesterday as she helped a British team to an easy victory in a catamaran race.
Keen sailor Kate, 40, changed out of her Breton top and cream shorts and into a wetsuit to board a 49ft craft during a special Commonwealth race against New Zealand.
The duchess briefly took control of the F50 catamaran, travelling at speeds of up to 55mph in gusty winds, to help clinch the win for Great Britain in a time of two minutes and 18 seconds, to the delight of a cheering crowd of thousands in Plymouth.
It all happened under the watchful eye of Sir Ben Ainslie, 45 – the most successful sailor in Olympic history – who described her as a ‘really good sailor in her own right’.
Kate learned to sail as a child, with the sport quickly becoming a passion. In recent years races have become a fun fixture of foreign royal tours, with Kate and Prince William competing against one another, including on their recent Caribbean trip.
It was reported last year that the couple have been teaching their children how to sail during the summer holidays near their Norfolk home. Yesterday’s contest took place before the final events of the SailGP international sailing competition.