CYCA Officially Opened

by Lisa Ratcliff on 4 Sep 2000 On Saturday evening, His Excellency the Honourable Gordon Samuels AC CVO Governor of NSW and his wife Mrs Samuels officially opened the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's new Clubhouse.

Those who attended the function, including the Mayor of Woollahra, Councillor Andrew Petrie, and the Honourable Sandra Nori MP, Minister for Small Business & Tourism, paid tribute to immediate past Commodore Hugo van Kretschmar who was responsible for overseeing the building project and for its completion before the start of the Olympics in less than two weeks.

"It is a credit to Hugo that we have such a magnificent new Clubhouse and that it was completed in time to open our doors to so many international athletes and guests," said CYCA Commodore Hans Sommer.

"The 14 month long project was made more difficult because we continued to run our regular Club races as well as our most recognised event, the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, during the extensive renovations," he said.

"We managed to stay operational by building the two halves of the Club one after the other."

Members and guests can now enjoy the Club's new function rooms, alfresco dining on the deck overlooking the water and for the first time in almost ten years, indoor dining in the Blue Water Grille restaurant.

The CYCA was established in 1944 and organised the inaugural Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race in 1945. The Club first took up residence of the New Beach Rd Rushcutters Bay address in 1951 when it acquired a slipway, boatshed and house on the site.

From there the Club underwent a number of refurbishments and extensions until it was decided in 1996, as part of a five-year plan, to install a new floating marina and commence redevelopment of the Clubhouse.

For CYCA function enquiries, please contact Nicola Francis on (02) 9363 9731.

For further information, please contact Lisa Ratcliff on 0418 428 511.