KEEN sailor and Carmel College student Connell Makepeace will be a VIP at next month’s BNY Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race.

The 18-year-old was one of the Carmel graphic design students who created posters for a competition to publicise this year’s classic clash.

Judges shortlisted four of Carmel’s students in the final eight designs which went to a public online vote, and Connell was chosen as the winner.

Other Carmel students in the final stages were Leah Chen, Emma Wilcox and Adam Hurst. Also commended for their entries were Daniel Brownbill, Callum Chatfield and Matthew Vernon.

Connell will receive £1,000, a startline view of the River Thames race action and a prime seat at the gala dinner reception.

Connell, from Rainhill, studies A levels in graphic design, maths and further maths and plans to stay at Carmel next year for an art foundation diploma before going to university to study graphic design and illustration.

He hopes to use his winnings to help fund a visit to New Zealand in 2015, with the intention of visiting the studio where the Lord of the Rings special effects were created.

”It took me about a week and a half to create the poster,” said Connell, who was thrilled to have scooped the poster prize.

“I hoping to study at Liverpool John Moores University or Edinburgh University.”

Connell is a keen rock climber and a member of Pilkingtons Sailing Club.