Ellie and Curly to represent opposite ends of age scale at World Championships
By Angela Hunter
BELFAST Lough will welcome more than 100 boats from around the world at the GP14 World Championships in August, but a story that perfectly captures what makes sailing one of the most unique sports on the planet lies beyond the fierce racing.
Teenager Ellie Nolan will be at one end of the fleet, fresh from completing her GCSEs and looking forward to a summer of freedom, friendship and time on the water.
At the other will be Curly Morris OBE – Olympian, consultant haematologist, researcher and one of the most respected figures in international sailing, whose relationship with the sport spans almost seven decades.
Together, they represent the extraordinary age range that makes sailing a true sport for life.
For Ellie, the championships are the perfect way to celebrate the end of months of revision and exams.
Like many young sailors growing up around Belfast Lough, she has spent countless hours on the water, developing confidence, skills and friendships through the sport.
Now, with school behind her for the summer, she is preparing to take part in one of the biggest sailing events ever hosted on her home waters.
Ellie said: “After spending so much time studying, it’s amazing to have something so exciting to look forward to.
“I’ve grown up sailing on Belfast Lough and I love being out on the water. To have a World Championship taking place here, and to be part of it, is really special.
“I’m looking forward to meeting sailors from different countries, making new friends and enjoying a summer doing something I love.”
While Ellie’s sailing story is only beginning, Curly has spent a lifetime writing his. Now aged 82, he first stepped into a GP14 in the 1960 and has remained devoted to the class ever since.
His remarkable sailing career has included representing Ireland at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, competing at World and European Championships, serving as International President of the GP14 Class Association and helping develop generations of sailors.
Away from the water, Curly enjoyed an equally distinguished professional career. As a consultant haematologist and researcher at Queen’s University Belfast, he played a leading role in advancing blood cancer research and patient care in Northern Ireland.
Through his work with Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI, he served as a researcher, adviser and board member, helping shape research that has improved outcomes for patients locally and around the world.
His contribution to medicine, sailing and public service was recognised with the award of an OBE.
Yet, despite a lifetime of achievement, Curly insists the greatest gift sailing has given him has never been medals, titles or recognition. It has been friendship.
He said: “One of the biggest life lessons sailing has taught me is the value of friendship.
“When you’ve been out on the water together in difficult conditions, battling strong winds and rough seas, you build a bond that’s very hard to explain to someone who hasn’t experienced it.
“Some of my closest friends have come through sailing. We’ve travelled together, raced together and quite literally weathered storms together.”
He added: “There have been times when conditions have been challenging and even a little frightening. When you’ve shared those nail-biting moments on the sea, you develop enormous trust in one another.
“Those experiences create friendships that last a lifetime. The boats may change and the years may pass, but those friendships remain.”
For Curly, that sense of camaraderie is one of the reasons sailing continues to attract people of all ages: “The wonderful thing about sailing is that age doesn’t really matter. Whether you’re 16 or 80, once you’re out on the water, you’re all sailors sharing the same experience.”
“It’s fantastic to see young people like Ellie coming into the sport. They are the future and events like the World Championships help inspire the next generation.”
The contrast between Ellie and Curly perfectly reflects the spirit of the GP14 class, where teenagers race alongside Olympians, families compete together and lifelong friendships are formed both on and off the water.
Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club Commodore Lindsay McCarty Nolan believes that is one of the reasons the class continues to thrive.
“Curly and Ellie represent everything that is special about sailing,” she said.
She continued: “One is just beginning her journey and the other has spent a lifetime in the sport, yet they share the same excitement about being on the water.
“The World Championships will showcase incredible racing, but they will also showcase the friendships, community spirit and opportunities that sailing creates.”
The GP14 World Championships take place at Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club from August 8-14.
