Prize Giving Dinner

One hundred and sixteen members of Weymouth Sailing Club and their guests celebrated the club’s annual prize giving on Saturday with a dinner and dance held at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.

Commodore Euan McNair welcomed the deputy mayor, Councillor Gill Taylor, and her partner.

After a hearty meal, dinghy sailor Phil Ashworth gave a witty and amusing speech, wryly explaining the many challenges of a race for those non-sailors in the audience. Trophies were awarded to winners of the season’s races, plus those that had ventured beyond the serene waters of Weymouth Bay.

Former Commodore Kathy Claydon was recognised for her superb achievement of completing the Fastnet race double-handed, and Michael and Di Gill received a trophy for their long distance sailing adventures.

Tributes were also paid to club member Ernie Lee, who has just hung up his oilskins for the last time at the age of 92, having acquired his first sailing boat in 1945.

One of the highlights of the evening was the award of Life Honorary Membership to popular club member, former Team GB Paralympic squad member and world champion 2.4 metre sailor, Megan Pascoe.

The evening finished with dancing to an all-request disco.

Although celebrating the previous year's sailing, the annual dinner signals the start of the new season, with class dinners, talks and boat lift-ins just around the corner. The first event of the season, the Early Bird dinghy race, starts in a mere nine weeks’ time on Saturday 7th April.

Submitted on 1st February 2018