Sailors Honoured at Australian Yachting Awards

by John Forbes, BSG Sports on 21 Jul 2003 On Saturday 19 July 2003 Darren Bundock (Berkeley Vale/Central Coast, NSW) and John Forbes (Sydney NSW) claimed Australia’s highest sailing accolade at the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron in Victoria.

Earlier in the evening, the Australian Yachting Federation, to now be known as 'Yachting Australia', launched a new brand, that will exist to create a bond between governing bodies and clubs and form a common visual link for all aspects of yachting.

Approximately 200 guests attended the Awards at the St. Kilda venue in Melbourne to recognise the achievements of Australian sailing over the last twelve months.

The finalists in each of the categories read like the who's who of Australian sailing with world, national and state champions being presented awards by sponsors of Yachting Australia and the Federal Minister for the Arts and Sport, the Honorable Rod Kemp.

Another successful year on the water saw Darren Bundock and John Forbes take the Male Sailor of the Year Award for the second time in a row. The pair, who were named both the ‘Australian Institute of Sport Team of the Year’ and ‘NSW Sailor of the Year’ earlier this year, are proving to be long term masters of the Tornado Class. Their main creditial for claiming the Awards was winning the 2002 Tornado Class World Championship for a record 5th time for Forbes and for the 3rd time for Bundock as well as being equal first at the 2002 Athens Test Event and clean sweeping the 2003 Sail Melbourne Regatta.

John collected the honour on behalf of the team, as Darren is currently overseas sailing with fellow Male Sailor of the Year finalist, Victoria’s Glenn Ashby.

Forbes, who is the first Australian to win the ‘Sailor of the Year’ award for the third time (92, 01, 02) gave praise to his team mate of 8 years Darren Bundock and said they still have what it takes to win a Gold Medal in Athens 2004. Who could argue as they have won the last two World Championships and recently won the 2003 European Championship in Sardinia, Italy with a race to spare. Forbes also gave praise to his coach of 13 years Mike ‘Fletch’ Fletcher who has become an integral part of the teams boat speed success.

Forbes added ‘This award is very special to us, not only because I am the first person to have won it three times, but to be recognised by the AYF and the Australian Sports Commission for over 15 years has given me a great sense of happiness from my sport and we will be trying our absolute best to complete my medal collection in Athens 2004’. Forbes already has a Bronze Meal from the 1992 Barcelona Olympics as well as the Silver Medal he and Darren won in Sydney 2000.

All in all the night was spectacular with guests commenting on the inspirational and interesting speech and video presentation by guest speaker, Grant Simmer, who was the Design Co-Ordinator of the America’s Cup winner Alinghi and the Navigator of 1983’s, Australia II.