RYA President HRH The Princess Royal has awarded the prestigious RYA Yachtmaster® of the Year award to Mark Devereux, a 23 year old sail trainer from Middlesbrough.

Given to those who have excelled when completing their practical exam, the Yachtmaster® qualification is one of the most highly respected and recognised awards in the world.

At the pinnacle of RYA Training, a Yachtmaster is a yachtsman or woman who has the knowledge and competence to skipper a motor or sailing yacht on coastal and cross-Channel passages. A Yachtmaster must be able to cope with plain sailing as well as the most demanding situations.

Described as a young professional with experience and maturity far beyond his years, Mark was one of over 2500 candidates reviewed world-wide for the award.