FORMER Olympian and America\u2019s Cup hero Sir James Hardy has been announced as the ambassador of next year\u2019s Festival of Sails. The world champion yachtsman, businessman, winemaker and community leader was a special guest at the 2015 event. <\/p>\n
Sir James will be a guest speaker of the Royal Geelong Yacht Club at the Skipper\u2019s Breakfast on January 27 during the 2019 Festival of Sails, which runs from January 26-28.<\/p>\n
The Festival of Sails is Australia\u2019s biggest celebration of sailing and the largest keelboat sailing regatta in the Southern Hemisphere, attracting hundreds of yachts and thousands of participants from around the world to Corio Bay.<\/p>\n
Sir James represented Australia at two Olympics (1964 and 1968) and was an America\u2019s Cup skipper three times (1970, 1974 and 1980). He also competed in four Admiral\u2019s Cup Ocean Racing Championships.<\/p>\n
In 1983, when Australia 2 won the America\u2019s Cup, finally breaking the New York Yacht Club\u2019s 132-year hold on the cup, Sir James was the backup skipper and mentor to skipper John Bertrand. Bertrand had been in Sir James\u2019s crew in each of his three earlier America\u2019s Cup challenges.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Festival of Sails is a wonderful event and I am looking forward to being a part of the 2019 celebrations in Geelong. I love Corio Bay,\u201d Sir James said.<\/p>\n
Sir James was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1975 and a Knight Bachelor in 1981 for his service to yachting and the community.<\/p>\n
In 1981, he was named the Australian yachtsman of the year and in 1994 was inducted into the America\u2019s Cup Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n
\u201cSir James is an icon of Australian sailing,\u201d Festival of Sails chair Stuart Dickson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will be an absolute privilege to welcome him to the Skipper\u2019s Breakfast during the Festival of Sails.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am sure his stories and anecdotes from a remarkable sailing career will be inspiring for all of the guests before day two of sailing begins.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FORMER Olympian and America\u2019s Cup hero Sir James Hardy has been announced as the ambassador of next year\u2019s Festival of Sails. The world champion yachtsman, businessman, winemaker and community leader was a special guest at the 2015 event. Sir James will be a guest speaker of the Royal Geelong Yacht Club at the Skipper\u2019s Breakfast […]<\/p>\n