Iain Murray Chasing Olympic Glory

by Nicole Browne / AST on 19 Aug 2007 By Nicole Browne / AST

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 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.
* Images of Iain Murray & Andrew Palfrey from this event and general shots are available at the AST Media Centre site or contacting Lara Watts (contact details below)

FURTHER INFORMATION:
Lara Watts – (02) 8424 7404 or lara.watts@yachting.org.au
Nicole Browne (based in China from 17th – 23rd August) – (m) 0011 86 1355 308 1647 or nicole@mediaopps.com.au

IMAGES:
For up-to-date images of the Qingdao International Regatta and the AST, please log into the AST Media Centre - http://www.astmedia.net/media/

RELATED WEBSITES:
Event website - http://www.2007qdregatta.com/
AST website - http://www.australiansailingteam.com.au/

AUSTRALIAN SAILING TEAM:
The Australian Sailing Team is the official national representative sailing team and is comprised of the best Olympic class sailors in Australia. Selected annually, athletes qualify for inclusion in the team by finishing in the top ten at an Olympic Class-World Championship, or be identified as having the potential to do so within a two year period. The Team is generously supported by the Federal Government through the Australian Sports Commission, the Australian Olympic Committee and is a Tier 1 Australian Institute of Sport program. The Team is managed by Yachting Australia the Australian national authority for sailing and a member of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF). The Team’s goal is to compete internationally, develop talent and win Medals for Australia in Beijing 2008 and beyond.

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SPONSOR DISCLAIMER:
The AST sponsors mentioned, listed below or shown in anywhere this document are in no way sponsors of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) or the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC).