Gold Medalist and Estate Master trimmer Malcolm Page was a guest of honor at Middle Habour Yacht Club’s season opening day today. He was joined by most members of the Australian Olympic Sailing Team including his skipper Nathan Wilmot and fellow gold medalists Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson.
Club members and public welcomed the team with high-fives and handshakes before Commodore Martin Hill formally congratulated each member of the team.
Malcolm and Nathan used Middle Harbour Yacht Club as their Sydney training base. Said Malcolm ‘This is a very special welcome for us and I feel honoured to be able to share it with you’.
The Olympians mixed with club members and public and spent an hour signing autographs for fans, many of which were under 10 years old.
‘We hope this special opportunity sparks enthusiasm within the next generation to want to campaign for future Olympics’, said Michael Jones, AST and Olympic Team Director.
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.
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Media scrum as Men’s 470 – Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page (AUS) win the Gold – Day 10 Olympics – Quindao 2008
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‘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 the Commodore.
‘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.’
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