Sail for Gold; Inspire, Celebrate, Support  

By now you will have received an email or letter from us telling you about our new Sail for Gold programme.

By now you will have received an email or letter from us telling you about our new Sail for Gold programme.

The Sail for Gold programme will provide a framework of on and off-the-water activities that can be tailored to suit your club or training centre. We hope to:

• Inspire new and existing sailors to get out on the water, make clubs the focal point for members to join in the spirit of the Olympics.
• Maximise support for the world’s most successful Olympic classes sailing team, ‘Skandia Team GBR’.
• Celebrate our long and successful heritage of the British Sailing Team by holding an exhibition and touring it around the country.

At this stage we just need you to sign up someone at your club to be your Sail for Gold Activator. This person will be your representative and point of contact for us to communicate information about the ‘Sail for Gold’ planned activities and events. To sign up to the programme and nominate your ‘Activator’ please visit www.rya.org.uk/go/activator.

Social Events Programme

This year why not tie your open days in with national events such as the medal race day of the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta (11 June); one of the key international events for aspiring Olympic sailors or the LOCOG Open Weekend on 22- 24 July 2011. If you don’t plan on holding an open day, why not create your own, fun Sail for Gold event on 11 June? The RYA will be providing Sail for Gold support kits to all the clubs and training centres who sign up their Sail for Gold Activators and these can be used to enhance your planned open day or event.

Planned activities for 2012 will have something for everyone and will include:

• A national ‘Push the Boat Out’ event - 21/22 July

  An event aimed at getting everyone out on the water at you club on this day. Hold your own Sail for Gold regattas, treasure hunts, rally’s, races or flotillas.

• Social events including Sail for Gold parties/balls and bbqs - 21/22 July
• Passage to Portland – 2-4 June
• Exhibitions/events to celebrate our Olympic & Paralympic sailing heritage
• ‘Have a go’ events across the country for new sailors (all season)

Once in a lifetime opportunity

‘This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to use the interest in the 2012 Olympics to inspire our sport’, said. RYA CEO, Sarah Treseder. ‘We hope our programme of special events will encourage both newcomers and existing sailors to get involved and to follow the British sailing team through 2012 Olympics and Paralympics’.

Official Launch

Sail for Gold will be officially launched at the RYA Volvo Dinghy Show on the 5 March on the main stage at 13.45. The Sail for Gold website, www.rya.org.uk/sailforgold, which will go live at the beginning of March, will also be launched at the show.