The following report has been borrowed from Yachts and Yachting:
Fifty years of continuous competitive sailing was celebrated at Frensham
Pond on Saturday 12th July.
The event combined a rally of wooden dinghies, organised
by the Vintage Racing Dinghy Association, a reunion of founding and early
members, and a day of events and attractions for current members.
Commodore Charles Smith welcomed veteran early members,
those “who cleared the brambles”. Among the founders present
was Marjorie Price, a pioneer of women’s dinghy racing, now aged 96, Michael
and Jeanne Glanister who had flown in from the States for the event, and
Pamela Elkins, daughter of Norman Morley, the man who guided the club
in its early days and founded its youth programe.
The Commodore spoke of the friendly spirit that had made
the club such a success. “We have seen many fine performances – there
were five national champions in 2002 and we’re in the highest reaches
of the youth squads. We’re just as fierce in competition as our forebears
would want us to be while remaining a family club.”
He recalled a few of the famous names who had emerged
through the club’s youth training. Olympian, Cathy Foster, Julian Hereward,
Keith Videlo, Anthea Thompson, Nick Craig, and Andrea Brewster, as well
as offshore sailors such as Matthew Humphries and Simon Curwen. Also Richard
Hart, former national Finn champion, who won the weekend’s vintage event
in his original 1970 wooden boat.
To round off the day, one hundred and twenty members
and guests sat down for the jubilee dinner. There were many recollections
of past days and the extraordinary achievements of this small club and
its hopes and ambitions for the next half-century.
Author: James Morley
Date: 10:28 22nd July 2003
Photos by Jim Champ.