Over the past seven decades, Middle Nene Sailing Club has developed from a disused gravel pit to a respected sailing club on the national circuit. The Club in 1947 with just fi ve boats and quickly became a well-known base for dinghy and keelboat racing, with a number of very successful sailors emerging. Amongst their members the Club can boast a lady world champion, European champions and several national champions, as well as two members who together sailed the Atlantic. Today the Club counts more than 350 members, including anglers. Middle Nene Sailing Club runs RYA approved training programmes and expects to train 50+ youngsters this year.
Joining in the two-day celebrations mid-July to celebrate the 70th anniversary were the Mayor of Thrapston, Sam Cribb, on Saturday, and The Lord-Lieutenant of Northamptonshire, David Laing, on Sunday. Both took the chance to not only explore the club compound, but to also take a short sailing trip around the lake and were duly impressed by the effi cient operation of the Club, which is run entirely by its members.
The event ended on Sunday pm with the threehour long pursuit race for the ‘Anniversary Cup’, in which all boats with a Portsmouth Yardstick rating could participate on equal terms. Appropriately, the race was won by MNSC’s Commodore, Matt Yallop.
Racing days at Middle Nene Sailing Club are Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and the main dinghy classes are Enterprise, RS200 and Solo, with Flying 15 and Illusion forming the keelboat fl eet. The Club prides itself on its family-friendly atmosphere and its vibrant social life. New members are always welcome at Meadow Lane in Thrapston.
Details are available from the MNSC website www.middlenenesc.co.uk and from the club’s Facebook page.
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