BRITAIN’S Olympic sailors are heading to Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta straight from their success at the Rio Olympics.
And visitors will be able to meet the champion sportsmen and women and see their medals.
Dartmouth will the first public appearance for the sailors who say they are looking forward to joining in the regatta celebrations on Saturday.
They will be officially welcomed home tomorrow when members of the public are invited to chat with members of the British sailing team, see their haul of gold and silver medals and have photographs taken with the team.
It is expected that 13 of the 15 Team Volvo sailors will be present, including Giles Scott who won a gold medal in the Finn Class.
This was Giles’ first Olympics after missing out on a place at London 2012 to Ben Ainslie.
Giles only lost one regatta in three years in the lead up to the Rio Games.
Gold medal winner Hannah Mills, who competed with Saskia Clark in the 470 Women’s Class, will also be present.
Hannah and Saskia were also silver medallists in London 2012.
They have sailed together for years but as well as spending all their time on the water together they are also best friends off the water.
Another big name coming to Dartmouth will be windsurfer Nick Dempsey, from Weymouth, who won a silver medal in the RS:X Men’s Class in Rio.
Nick has also won a bronze and a silver medal at two previous Olympics and this was his fifth Olympic Games in total – him the most decorated men’s windsurfer of all time.
Visitors will be able to meet the sportsmen and women and have photographs taken with the team at 11am tomorrow at the Volvo stand by the entrance to the marquee in Coronation Park.
Local sailors and youngsters are invited to an exclusive meet and greet event at Dartmouth Yacht Club, hosted by BBC commentator and double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson, who has also just returned from Rio, tomorrow at 2.30pm.
Email Adriana Wright at the RYA to book your place at [email protected].
At 4pm the team will be making an appearance on the bandstand in Royal Avenue Gardens. Members of the public are invited along to learn more about their Olympic experiences and see their medals. Shirley Robertson will also be hosting the stage show.
Afterwards visitors will be invited onto the stage to meet the sailors, to see and touch the medals and get autographs from the greatest names in British sailing.
The full crew expected are: Giles Scott, Bryony Shaw, Nick Dempsey, Luke Patience, Chris Grube, Hannah Mills, Nick Thompson, Ali Young, Ben Saxton, Nicola Groves, Charlotte Dobson, Sophie Ainsworth and Alan Sign.