To hear that Marguerite Leech was born to sail might be taken, by some, as a token throw away remark. On the evidence of her genes and upbringing though, the claims seems indisputable. "I don't remember not being out in boats, says Marguerite.

The daughter of Irish Water Safety CEO John Leech, there was never going to be a choice about sailing for Marguerite.

"My parents used to bring me out at any chance they could. My aunts, uncles, grandparents and great-grandparents on both sides sailed, so I didn't really have a choice in the matter," she jokes.

After attending her first sailing course at Lough Derg Yacht Club, Marguerite has since sailed out of the Lough Ri, Lough Erne and Glandore clubs and is currently a member of Galway Bay Sailing Club, Lough Derg Yacht Club, and NUIG Sailing Club.

This year, her second on the university circuit team, Marguerite was part of the first team from NUIG Sailing Club to participate in an event overseas when she travelled as part of a team of eight, to the SUSA championships in Scotland over Easter. She has combined her role as a key member of the college sailing team along with that of secretary of the club.

Although she admits the excursion to Scotland has been the highlight of her year so far, she is quick to point out what she thinks is the best aspect of sailing life. "The best thing about sailing is that it's for young and old alike, it doesn't matter if you're seven or 77. I mean last year I got to sail with my grandmother which was brilliant."

Marguerite adds that the adrenaline rush, the challenge of the sport and of course the opportunity to work on her tan are also huge incentives to sail, but admits these incentives weren't always so clear to her; "I started off being indifferent towards sailing, then hating it, to then sailing twelve months of the year and being virtually impossible to drag away from it."

After recently completing her university end of term exams, Marguerite is looking forward to the summer ahead. Nothing new for a college student perhaps, but maybe her reasons are slightly different to most girls her age. "In the summer I'll be out on the boat pretty much every day, whereas during college it might only be once a week."

Despite still being only 19, the summer months will see Marguerite passing on her expertise and experience onto the next generations of Galway sailors at Galway Bay Sailing Club, yet the main advice she can give to any aspiring sailor is remarkably grounded for one so young. "My best advice would be to do it for fun and to race for fun. If you do it for fun, the racing will come but if you do it for the racing, you'll burn yourself out."

Marguerite's hopes and aspirations for her sailing future range from realistic targets to long-term dreams. "I'd love to sail more boats, meet new people and see new places. I'd love to sail around the world obviously, but that might have to remain a dream for a while." Her passion for the sport though, is typified by one comment; "I never want to stop."

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