Meet Australia's sailing medallists

You can meet Australia’s Olympic Gold Medallist sailors and find out how to get involved in sailing at the Middle Harbour Yacht Club summer open day on Sunday 14 September.

Members of the Australian Sailing Team, including gold medallists Nathan Wilmot, Malcolm Page, Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson, will be guests of honour at the club’s season opening. The public are welcome to attend the celebration of sailing, with yachts decorated for the occasion, ladies’ race and entertainment stretching through the afternoon.

The club is open to the public from 12noon on Sunday 14 September and the Australian Sailing Team will be officially welcomed at 12:30pm. Festivities will continue until 4:30pm.

The Australian 470 Men’s and Women’s Olympic Gold Medallist crews, who use Middle Harbour Yacht Club as their Sydney training base, will be joined by Yngling crewmember Karyn Gojnich, Laser representative Tom Slingsby, Finn representative Anthony Nossiter, RSX sailor Jessica Crisp and the 49er team of Nathan Outteridge and Ben Austin. Victor Kovalenko, the 470 coach known internationally as the ‘medal maker’ will also be at the club, as will Laser Radial coach and former Olympic Laser medallist Michael Blackburn, Finn coach Doug McGain, AST Director Michael Jones and AST Program Manager Rob Brown.

"We are delighted to be able to give the champions of tomorrow this chance to meet the Medallists from Beijing,” said Michael Jones, AST and Olympic Team Director.

“We hope this special opportunity sparks enthusiasm within the next generation to want to campaign for future Olympics."

The team members will mingle with the public after their official welcome, sign posters and also put their names to the club Tacker’s Dinghies.

“Nathan and I are looking forward to coming ‘home’ to Middle Harbour for the open day and to seeing everyone who has supported us along the way,” said Men’s 470 gold medallist Malcolm Page.

“It will be a really relaxed day and lots of fun and it’s a great way for people who are interested in getting involved in sailing to find out more about learning or joining a crew or joining the club.

“All the Australian Sailing Team members got involved in sailing when they were very young, so we’re keen to show kids how much fun the sport can be.

“It’s funny when I think back to my first memory of sailing, when I was plonked into a boat tied my grandparent’s wharf on the Lane Cove River and I cried my eyes out because I hated it, but by the time I was eight I was racing with my brothers and loving it.

“Who would have thought that kid would go on to win an Olympic gold medal!”

Middle Harbour Yacht Club Commodore and Patron of the Australian Sailing Team Martin Hill said the club would roll out the red carpet for the Olympic sailors’ homecoming.

“Having waved them goodbye from our beaches and cheered them on watching their medal race on the big screen at the Club, it will be a privilege to see them back in home waters to christen our Junior Club Boats and display their medals,” said Martin Hill.

“I know they will be an inspiration to our junior and not so junior members alike.

“Who knows, in one of those photos opportunities we may see Nathan and Malcolm shaking hands with a future Olympic gold medallist from the junior ranks of MHYC.

“We thank the whole Australian Sailing Team including Victor Kovalenko, the head coach for providing us with the role models for our sport - may the celebrations begin.”

For more information on the Middle Harbour Yacht Club Open Day call 02 9969 1244 or visit www.mhyc.com.au.