Katie Dabson (born c.1996) is a British sailor in the catamaran Nacra 17 and the hydrofoil Formula Kite. She became World champion with Ben Saxton in 2017 at the Nacra 17 World Championship and then went on to compete at Formula Kite.

Katie Dabson
Bornc.1996
NationalityUnited Kingdom
EducationPlymouth University
Occupationsailor
Known formedal winning

Life

edit

Dabson was born in about 1996.[1] She went to Plymouth University where she graduated with honours in Accountancy and Finance. She had taken to sailing, after seeing the 2012 Olympic sailing in Weymouth. After being a student she decided to become a full-time sailor. Her father also sailed, he sailed with the father of her friend from Grafham Water Sailing Club, Ben Saxton.[2] She and Saxton had success together as they competed at the Sailing World Cup Finals and at the European Championship in Germany. On both occasions they took medals.[2]

She became World champion with Saxton in 2017 at the Nacra 17 World Championship in the seaside resort of La Grande-Motte.[3] In 2017 he and Katie Dabson came second in the final race and won the Championship. The third place in the race and the second place in the championship was taken by Fernando Echavarri and Tara Pacheco.[4]

She later won a bronze medal in 2020 as part of the Formula Kite Mixed Team Relay team at the European Championships.[3]

She competed at the Formula Kite European Championships in 2022 in Portsmouth[1] where she was 16th.[5]

In 2023 she was training with four other "GB Kite Girls" in Weymouth. One of these was Ellie Aldridge who was chosen to represent the UK at the 2024 Olympics at Formula Kite. Dabson and the others were assisting her training. Dabson was at the Formula Kite European Championships in Spain in March 2023[1] where she was ninth in a field dominated by French Olympic hopefuls.[5]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Katie Dabson and the power of the GB Formula Kite girls". East Lothian Courier. 2024-03-19. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  2. ^ a b Heppell, Toby (2017-09-11). "Saxton and Dabson take World title". Yachts and Yachting. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  3. ^ a b "World Sailing - Katie Dabson". World Sailing. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  4. ^ "Britain's Ben Saxton and Katie Dabson win Nacra 17 World Championship". BBC Sport. 2017-09-10. Retrieved 2024-07-11.
  5. ^ a b "Katie Dabson reflects on 2024 Formula Kite European Championships". Lancashire Telegraph. 2024-03-30. Retrieved 2024-07-11.