Derbyshire Sports Awards boost for Carsington Sailing Club

Delighted Carsington Sailing Club has been named runner-up in the Club of the Year category at the 2009 Derbyshire Sports Awards.

At the ceremony at Derby County’s Pride Park on Friday 13 November, Carsington followed up its success in landing the 2009 Derbyshire Dales Club of the Year accolade last month by taking second spot at the county awards.

Since opening in 1992, Carsington has introduced sailing to hundreds of people in the local community and over the past 18 months has continued to go from strength to strength.

Carsington is a recognised RYA training centre providing courses and activity for both adult and young sailors including taster introduction sessions, improving competency, start racing and race coaching.

During the summer more than 50 young sailors can typically be found taking part in a range of dinghy and catamaran sailing activity each Saturday while over the past year around 30 new schoolchildren have also learned to sail at Carsington with many becoming club members.

Particularly commended for the links the club has made with local schools, 2009 saw Carsington introduce sailing to Callow Park College, a specialist school for young people with speech, language and communication difficulties. Over the past 18 months some 30 disabled children have also enjoyed sessions and five disabled sailors passed the RYA Stage 1 Learn to Sail course with support from Sailability.

Carsington also holds prestigious Volvo RYA Champion Club status, which recognises those sailing and windsurfing clubs with a commitment to youth sailing and race coaching. It aims to encourage young sailors and windsurfers at grassroots level to stay in the sport and learn to compete.

Richard Daldorph, Carsington SC’s Youth Co-ordinator, said: “Our aims are always to increase awareness of the benefits of sailing and what a fun and diverse pastime it is. Sailing is a cheap, social life sport and the enjoyment factor, both on and off the water, is something we really try to encourage. It’s also a fantastic sport for developing leadership skills. We are a fully inclusive club and some of our sailors are also excelling as racers as members of the RYA’s National Junior development programmes.”

Tony Nicholson, Carsington SC Commodore said: “We were delighted to be shortlisted for the Derbyshire Club of the Year prize and everyone involved with Carsington should be very proud of the part they have played in the club receiving this recognition. It merely serves to reinforce the belief we all have that sailing can play an integral part in any community.”

Howard Nelson, chairman of RYA East Midlands, added: “Clubs throughout the East Midlands region work tirelessly 12 months a year to actively encourage participation within their local communities and beyond and it is fantastic to see some of that work recognised in this way. Our congratulations go to Carsington Sailing Club.”

For more information about Carsington Sailing Club visit www.carsingtonsc.co.uk . To find your nearest sailing club or centre visit www.rya.org.uk