Professional Sailing Services
I am a four-time World Championship winner in the highly competitive Etchells
and 5.5 Metre classes. I have also won several National and State Championship titles
in Australia, the UK and the USA across a range of classes.
Having started sailing in Melbourne, Australia, I graduated from the cadet-dinghy class to one-design keelboats in the early 1980’s. After several years of
competing at an international level, I embarked on eleven years of Olympic class
campaigning. Firstly in the Soling class, with Cameron Miles and James Mayo. Then
moving to the Star Class for eight years, crewing with Iain Murray. Myself and Iain won the right to represent Australia at the 2008 Olympics.
Since retiring from Olympic level sailing after the 2008 Olympic Games, I returned to the Etchells class, accepting a position with iconic sailing figure John Bertrand, alongside five time Olympic medallist, Ben Ainslie. The following year, as Ben’s America’s Cup commitments increased, we were joined by Tom Slingsby (Olympic Gold Medallist and Aussie Sail GP skipper). Together we won the 2010 World Championship in Howth, Ireland.
In 2017, I teamed up in the Etchells with Rolex USA Yachtsman of the Year, Peter Duncan
aboard Peter’s new Canadian built Etchells. Peter is one of the world’s best helmsmen, having won the highly competitive J70 Worlds twice (2017 and 2021) and the Melges 24 Worlds in 2022. We placed 4th in the Cowes 2022 Etchells Worlds and together with USA’s Mark Mendelblatt are working hard, campaigning toward the 2023 World Championship in Miami.
In the 5.5 Metre class I was privileged to be invited to sail the 2010 worlds in Lake Garda with class experts Flavio Marazzi and maestro boat-builder Christof Wilke (both from SUI). We won that event after a magical week of lake sailing in this wonderful class. Then in 2018, fellow Cowes resident, mate and famous sailor Peter “Morty” Morton purchased a Wilke-built 5.5 Metre and asked for my help in restoring the boat and racing her.
In that boat (Girls on Film-GBR 40), together with Ben Cornish, we won on our first outing in Lake Garda during April of 2019 at the prestigious Alpen Cup. The following January (just prior to the pandemic), we placed 4th at the 2020 Worlds held on my former home waters of Pittwater, Sydney. At this stage Morty had developed a taste for racing these fantastic yachts.
I will go into more detail on the 5.5 Metres in the project management page, but we built two boats through the pandemic in Cowes. In "Girls on Film-GBR 41” we won the 2021 Alpen Cup at Garda and in "Jean Genie-GBR 42” we won the 2022 Alpen Cup, prior to winning the 2022 Worlds and the highly sought-after Scandinavian Gold Cup.
As a coach, I have worked at all levels in sailing, helping people and teams of all shapes and sizes understand more about our sport and the craft we race. I have been a Head Coach at America’s Cup level and am regularly engaged in the TP52 and 44Cup grand-prix classes. I also work across most one-design keelboat classes and with all sorts of other classes.
Other Activities
I completed an apprenticeship in metal-work and welding with distinction in the
1980’s. I was awarded the title of Apprentice of the Year and was selected by the
Australian Government to produce the Eternal Flame structure at the Australian War
Memorial (Canberra).
Over the years, I have had several roles in the management of sailing events. Currently, I serve the International Etchells Class as an elected Governor and on the Technical Committee.
I reside in Cowes on the Isle of Wight with my wife Kate and my three children.
I do enjoy time away from sailboats, much of which is on my road-bike. Yes, I am a MAMIL. I have enjoyed some epic experiences on my bike throughout the mountains of France, Spain, Switzerland and the USA. But my favourite rides are with mates on the roads of my hometowm of Melbourne and my adopted island – the Isle of Wight.
