RYA Youth Squad sailor James Peters has been shortlisted in the final 10 for the prestigious BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award 2008.

Hayling Island’s Peters, who only turned 16 last month, enjoyed a sensational summer in the 29er high performance dinghy with crew Ed Fitzgerald, also 16.

Having started the season in indomitable fashion, romping to RYA Youth National Championship glory in April, the pair went from strength to strength claiming an outstanding gold at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships in Denmark in July before making it two international titles in seven days taking the 29er European Championship crown in Medemblik, The Netherlands.

By being shortlisted, helm Peters, whose sister Frances ensured it was a family ISAF Youth Worlds clean-sweep by taking the girls’ 29er title with Claire Lasko, is now in the running to follow in the footsteps of former BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year winners Wayne Rooney (2002), Andy Murray (2004) and Theo Walcott (2006).