Sail-World.com : Iain Murray Chasing Olympic Glory
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Iain Murray Chasing Olympic Glory |
He’s competed in four America's Cup campaigns, 12 Sydney Hobart races, three Admirals Cups and a Tour de France á Voile and has won seven 18ft World Skiff Championships in a row.
But, at age 49, Iain Murray is taking on a new challenge as part of the Australian Sailing Team (AST) currently competing in the 2007 Qingdao International Regatta in China – a sailing test event for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Murray has never competed at an Olympic Games but has been competing in Star class sailing since 1995. The Star, a two crew keel boat, was the first Olympic class sailing boat. Australia has won Olympic medals in Star sailing at two Olympics (Gold – 1972, Bronze – 1996).
As the oldest male member in the AST, Murray and crewmate Andrew Palfrey are being guided by the youngest coach on the team, Euan McNicol.
 | Iain Murray & Andrew Palfrey (Star) at the ISAF World Championship 2007 - Fried Elliott © |
Iain and his crewmate Andrew Palfrey have taken over from Colin Beashel, best known as the flag bearer for the Australian Olympic Team at the Opening Ceremony of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games and Australia’s most capped Olympian, as Australia’s leading Star sailor.
Murray and Palfrey have completed three races at the Olympic test event so far,
finishing ninth, 13th and sixth. They are currently placed eighth overall in a field of 17 and are ahead of Great Britain and the United States.
'It’s a bit like being everyone’s father with the young kids in the team but its good to be able to share technical advice about the boats with them and to talk to them about their future in sailing,' said Murray.
'With Euan and I, it’s a battle of wits to stay on top sometimes as we’re very like-minded.
'But we certainly respect each other, we come from similar backgrounds having raced skiffs and we’re all trying to achieve the same thing.
'I’ve sailed Stars for many years, but at this level of competition I’m a rookie - we haven’t been in the A-team of Stars until recently and its different.
'But as always people come together – I was talking to some Star sailors the other day who want to do an Americas Cup and I was asking them about Olympic level Stars - we share advice and stories and enjoy the sailing no matter what.'
The Qingdao International Regatta continues until Friday 23 August.
 | NSW Premier Morris Iemma and Iain Murray AM (r) - |
Murray is a successful property developer and owns Azzura Marine, the largest yacht builder in the southern hemisphere.(Ed.)
by Nicole Browne
6:00 PM Sun 19 Aug 2007 GMT
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