Alumni Information

Eligibility to be a Supporter

Alumni Supporter status is open to anyone who has a connection with the University or the Club, is no longer a student, and remains interested in Cambridge sailing windsurfing kitesurfing alumni activities. There is no ‘supporter’ fee, but we hope that you will contribute to at least one of the Club’s support funds. We explain the scope of these funds on the Support Funds page.

Most gifts to the Club are now handled through the University’s philanthropic website – using safe and simple direct debit facilities, which are much better for everyone than standing orders, or using online credit card payments for single gifts. The University supplies these CUDAR facilities free of charge –and CUDAR pays all the gifts they receive, plus any Gift Aid, into the Club’s bank account on a monthly basis. Gifts can also be made by other means – please ask the Alumni Administrator for details of how to proceed.

Use this link to email CUDAR of any changes you wish to make to your existing direct debit. Include your full name and college to insure correct identification. Do NOT use the link to say how you want your gift allocated – the Alumni Administrator will approach you separately on that matter.

Details of how we handle your data are set out on the alumni Privacy Notice page. Details of how the University handles your data will be found on the CUDAR website. CUDAR in no way interposes itself between the Club and its alumni supporters. Emails and newsletter despatch remains entirely under our control, using our own secure alumni database.

If you live in or near Cambridge and are in a position to help the Club in any way, particularly with transport to and from Grafham, please sign up as a Senior Affiliate Member.   If you just want to receive our newsletters, use the quick sign-up form on the Contact Us page. Stay in touch with student activities by visiting the Dinghy Sailing,   Windsurfing,   Kitesporting, and Team Racing pages – as well as viewing Recent News posts (right hand sidebar).

Girton Storage

A limited amount of storage is available in an industrial unit at Girton for alumni to store windsurfing gear and other items. Apply to the Senior Secretary, whose email address is on the Club Officers page.

Make a Gift

Make a regular or once-off gift now via our page on the University’s philanthropic website – using safe and simple direct debit facilities for a regular gift, or credit card payment for a single gift.   CUDAR will send you an immediate acknowledgement of your gift. However, we will not be able to thank you until a month or so later – when CUDAR send us their monthly notification of new gifts.

You can, of course, make a gift using a charity voucher or cheque if this is more convenient for you. If you are not already receiving alumni email newsletters we will add you to our database.

If your employer operates a scheme that matches your GAYE contributions to a charity, please use the arrangement for your CUCrC donations.   Contribution matching is even better than Gift Aid!

Otherwise, particularly if you are an older alumnus, you might like to make a bequest. In addition, do consider the very tax-efficient step of donating shares.

Benefits of Being an Alumni Supporter

As a supporter of Cambridge sailing windsurfing kitesurfing alumni, you will have the satisfaction of contributing to the continuing success of sailing and surfing at Cambridge. Furthermore, you will receive the following benefits and privileges.

  • A regular email newsletter keeping you in touch with student as well as alumni activities.
  • An invitation to the annual summer Varsity Match Dinner at a coastal location, in early July.
  • Opportunity to participate in the early October Generations Team Racing Event at Farmoor. There Oxford and Cambridge teams from each decade battle it out under a legendary and mysterious handicapping system. (This event is sponsored by the Oxford & Cambridge Sailing Society.)
  • You will be able to keep up to date with breaking alumni, student, and CUCrC news on this website.

Supporting Cambridge Sailing and Surfing

The increasing pressures of student sailing and surfing mean that complete dedication and good equipment is needed to achieve success. Team Racing training at Cambridge is rigorous and takes place several times a week. In addition, each term is filled with a programme of top-flight invitational team racing events.   Fleet Racing, Dinghy Sailing, Windsurfing, and Kitesurfing have a similar dedicated approach. Yachting has been a separate club since 2013.

To purchase a flight of six new Fireflies with sails and other gear requires around £50,000. Surfing boards, rigs, and kites also wear out and have to be replaced regularly!   In addition, sailors and windsurfers have to pay the major part of entry fees to all the competitions they enter. They also bear the costs of the Varsity Match.   (These event costs all add up to over £10,000 a year in total!)

Please support the CUCrC so that sailors like those below can continue to excel at the national level. Do consider making a regular or once-off gift using our page on the University’s philanthropic website.

Photo of dinghies sailing for Cambridge sailingalumni information
Cambridge (left) head for the BUSA leeward mark – controlling two opposition boats (to right)
Photo of dinghies launching
A dinghy sailing taster session concludes at Grafham
Photo of some windsurfing
A Windsurfing session under way at Grafham
Kitesurfers fly the kite on Parkers Piece – for the Freshers Fair