London Olympic Benefit Dinner — 16 November '11

Wednesday 16th November at 7pm

Olympic Campaigns

SUPPORTING OUR OLYMPIC SAILORS

For the Beijing Olympics in 2008, the Club was able to support three of its Younger Members in their Olympic campaigns two of these, Christina Bassadone and Saskia Clark achieving 6th place in the Women's 470 Class in the Qingdao Olympics, which was apparently disappointing to them but very exciting for the rest of us

With the 2012 Olympics being so close to home, it would have been criminal not to continue the initiative this time round. For those few of you who may not know, the 2012 sailing Olympics will be held at Weymouth between the 28th July and 10th August 2012. In addition to our support for competitors the Club will have other involvements with the Olympics. We are honoured to have Sir Keith Mills, not only a keen sailor but also International President and CEO and Vice-Chairman of London 2012, the UK organising body of the Olympics, as a member of the Club. He was actually largely responsible for London winning the bid for the 2012 Olympics in the first place.

For the London Olympics, we had eight Club Members declaring their campaigns. In short time seven of them were selected by the RYA in short time for their Performance Squad (the Probables) and one for the Development Squad (the Possibles). One of them, Katie Archer, dropped out for personal reasons and has resumed her career as a doctor. Five out of the Performance Squad candidates have now been selected as part of the GBR Team for the Olympics, namely:-

• Ben Ainslie - Finn
• Lucy McGregor, Annie Lush and Kate McGregor - Eliot 6m Match Racing
• Saskia Clark - Women's 470

Ben Saxton, who was selected for the Development Squad, is producing some impressive results and will doubtless feature in the 2016 Squad.

Our criteria for supporting younger RTYC Members in their Olympic campaigns are set out in much the same way as normal sponsorship arrangements and we like to think of them as Ambassadors for the Club.

The next Olympic benefit dinner will be held, at the Clubhouse, on 16th November 2011  when we hope that several of our stars will be present and supporters will be able to meet and talk with them. Please come and support these dedicated and talented sailors! Bookings are now open through Lucia on membersadmin@royalthames.com . There will be the usual entertaining auction conducted by Nick Bonham and it is always a happy and enjoyable evening.

Time: 7pm

Tickets: £60 or £40 for a limited number of Younger Members.

To book please click here or contact the Secretariat on 0207 201 6267.