A heroes’ welcome (From Dorset Echo)

A heroes’ welcome

9:00am Tuesday 2nd September 2008 in

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A HEROES' welcome greeted Dorset's Olympic sailors and windsurfers during their victory parade of Weymouth and Portland.

Thousands of people showed the borough's pride when they took time out during their lunch hour to cheer the champions on their open-top bus ride.

A police escort accompanied the sailors Sarah Ayton, Paul Goodison, Andrew Simpson and Saskia Clark and windsurfers Nick Dempsey and Bryony Shaw, who were part of the most successful British Olympic sailing team in 100 years.

With a medal haul of four gold medals, one silver and a bronze at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the British sailing team helped Team GB to achieve its best Olympic medal tally in a century.

Double gold medallist Yngling sailor Sarah Ayton, 28, of Wyke Regis said: "It's been pretty manic since we got home and actually last night was the first night I came back to Weymouth.

"To share the success with all our friends was amazing but today, driving through Weymouth in an open-top bus with all the medallists has been overwhelming.

"I would never have imagined such a welcome. I think four years ago was good but this is absolutely amazing, and it's just so nice to be here to share the gold with the people of Weymouth."

Star keelboat sailor Andrew Simpson of Sherborne said his recent gold win with team-mate Iain Percy had only just sunk in.

He said: "We're sailors, we're not like footballers, we never expect anything like this.

"We're very proud and grateful to everyone who's come to see us and we're just happy to be home."

Looking ahead to the 2012 Olympics he added: "If the team does as well as it has in the past in London, I think the reception would be chaotic, like here today I think the whole country would just go mad.

"It would be amazing."

Thousands of people filled Weymouth town centre to wave Union flags, which had been handed out by Weymouth and Portland Borough Council staff.

Among the crowd was the family of bronze Olympic medallist windsurfer Bryony Shaw, including her 97-year-old gran, Annie Brown. Mrs Brown said: "All I'd like to say is I think my granddaughter's wonderful.

"She really did work hard for this and I do admire her so much."

Mother-of-two Jane Alford, 41, of Fernhill Avenue, Weymouth said: "Today's efforts are just fantastic.

"The Olympians have had excellent support and today's turnout lets them know that Weymouth and Portland have been behind them.

"It's really good what they have achieved."

Lesley Williams, 46, of Pugmill Lane, Chickerell lined up in Bond Street with her daughter Sophie, six, and niece Mya, seven.

She said: "The attendance is fantastic, great - quite surprising.

"I have definitely been following the Olympic Games this time around.

"Their achievements are just mind-blowing. It makes you want to be an Olympian, although I think I'm past that now."

She added: "If I could say anything to those on the victory bus it would be congratulations for a lifetime achievement, which is something not many of us get the opportunity to do."

With Congratulations' by Cliff Richards and Celebrate' by Kool & The Gang blaring from their victory bus speakers, the sailors crossed the Town Bridge and looped the Harbour Roundabout before making their way through Hope Square to Wyke Regis.

Firefighters at Weymouth Fire Station set off their sirens and lined the street to greet the sailors.

Children at Chipmunks Day Nursery in Buxton Road cheered their journey to Portland, as did groups of wellwishers gathered by the sailors' homes near Ferry Bridge in Wyke Regis.

Car horns and cries of Well done' continued en route through Fortuneswell to The Heights hotel on Portland, where some 200 people shouted hip hip hooray' as the Olympic champions popped Champagne corks and signed autographs.

Swedish homecare worker Peter Jadinge, 50, of Easton, Portland, presented the sailors with a CD of a celebratory song he had written and recorded called When Sailors Take To Sea.' He said: "I hope they'll enjoy it as part of their very warm welcome."

Mother of three, Mandy Greaves, 40, of Ripcroft, Southwell, said her son Adam was fantastically excited.' She said: "He's looking forward to the Weymouth-based sailors sailing on their home waters in 2012, so the Olympians' homecoming holds extra excitement for him."

Adam, 11, who aspires to be an Olympic sailor, said: "I'm very proud of our Olympians - it's good they come from Weymouth."

Speaking later at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, Bryony Shaw, 25, of Buxton Road, Weymouth said: "It's great to be back and to feel the real spirit of the town.

"When we were up on Portland the view down was amazing, we could see all the people down there windsurfing and sailing and hopefully the kids who see it will want to get out there and go windsurfing and sailing.

"It's my first Olympics and to have that kind of reception when we got back to Weymouth was just awe-inspiring, and I'm certainly motivated for 2012.

"I want to turn this bronze into a gold and to do it on my home waters."