WAYZATA — The Wayzata Sailing Center will open its lakeside campus to the public on Tuesday, June 10, for a family-friendly open house celebrating its mission of making sailing accessible to all. The event runs from 5 to 7 p.m. and will include food, games, boat tours, and hands-on opportunities to learn more about the sport of sailing. All ages are welcome.
Located just south of the railroad tracks on Lake Minnetonka’s shoreline, the Wayzata Sailing Center is widely considered one of the community’s most treasured assets. With a motto of “Sailing is for Everybody,” the center has long been committed to inclusivity—offering adaptive sailing for individuals with disabilities, programming for blind sailors, and outreach partnerships with organizations such as the YMCA and Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners (IOCP).
Ellie Ansari, a longtime Wayzata volunteer and now a board member at the center, spoke to the Wayzata City Council recently to express gratitude and share details of the upcoming event.
“We want to thank the council and the city for their leadership in helping make this place what it is,” Ansari said. “We believe in opening access to sailing as widely as possible, and we’re proud to be a community hub for wellness, education, and recreation on the water.”
Joining Ansari at the council meeting was Harper Gordon, a junior at Wayzata High School and a standout sailor who just returned from the Mallory Cup National High School Double-Handed Championships in New London, Connecticut. The Mallory Cup is one of the nation’s most competitive high school sailing events, and Wayzata’s presence at the regatta highlights the strength of its youth program.
“I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to represent Wayzata at a national level,” Gordon told council members. “I’m also working at the Sailing Center this summer, and I want to personally invite everyone in the community to come to our open house. Whether you’re new to sailing or just curious, it’s a fun and welcoming way to get involved.”
The June 10 event will offer visitors a chance to meet instructors and student sailors, learn about summer camps, adult classes, private lessons, and the competitive Wayzata High School Sailing Team. Guests can also tour the facility, enjoy refreshments, and try out shore-based sailing activities in a relaxed, lakeside setting.
City leaders praised the sailing center for its leadership, community impact, and national recognition. “It’s programs like this that make Wayzata such a special place,” said Mayor Pro Tem Alex Plechash at the meeting.
For more information about the June 10 open house or ongoing sailing programs, visit wayzatasailing.org.
