Award winner Ellie (15), was unable to accept her prize in person at the Academy’s annual SPOTY awards evening on 16 December as she was taking part in a week-long training camp in Spain getting ready to compete in the European Championships in France next year.

Year 11 Ellie started sailing at the age of eight in a Topper sailing dinghy, moving on to the two-person 420 dinghy at the age of 12. She has taken part in the Youth National Championship for the last two years, taking the U17 girls title in 2018 and securing third place in the U19 category in 2019.

Next year she aims for her first international podium place at the Junior European Championships or the World Championships.

During SPOTY 2019, an evening of celebration for all sporting achievement, students across all year groups received awards to recognise outstanding commitment to a variety of sports.

Among the many winners on the night were Skye Fawsitt, who won the Emma Goddard Award, Year 9 girls football team who won Team of the Year, football player Theo Flanagan won the Connex Award as Student Most Likely to Become a Professional, hockey player Corey Durose who won the Elite Performance Award and winner of the Up and Coming Sports Personality of the Year Award, footballer Chae Whitman-Brown.