Please select your home edition
Edition
Barton Marine 2019 728x90

America's Cup: Iain Murray appointed Regatta Director for third Cup

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com/nz 30 Apr 2020 21:29 PDT 1 May 2020
The Big Fella, Iain Murray in high demand from the media before stepping on board Wild Oats XI © Rolex / Stefano Gattini

Iain Murray (AUS) has been appointed Regatta Director for the 36th America's Cup to be staged on the Waitemata harbour. The 36th America's Cup will be the third time he has held the role, in an event where he has also participated as a skipper and designer.

Murray also spans the 12 Metre, IACC and Multihull eras of the America's Cup from 1983 to 2017.

For Murray, it will be a return to the place where he made his first marks on the international sailing scene, with two notable wins.

The first was as a 17-year-old student where he designed, built and sailed a 12ft skiff, Sunset Hotels, to win the 1976 Interdominion 12ft skiff title on his second attempt from a fleet of 24 boats from Australia and New Zealand.

He returned a year later for the JJ Giltinan Trophy, the unofficial world championship of the 18ft skiff class.

Again he skippered a boat that he had designed and built himself, for his second tilt at the prestigious trophy.

Going into the final race of the series Australian veteran Dave Porter sailing KB, looked to have done enough to take the title, rounding the final mark, Rough Rock, with a lead of over five minutes.

Sailing in a 25-30kt onshore breeze, in a very awkward wind against tide sea state, Murray helming sailing Colour 7 called for the spinnaker, which eventually set, and with his crew stacked in the stern of the red hulled skiff, pointed directly at the finish line barely visible in the cyclonic murk and rain.

Race leader KB having taken a conservative course, tried to gybe in an awkward corner of the course, constricted by reefs and shallow water.

Fortune favoured the brave, and Murray cut the corner, on the hapless KB, worked around North Head and ran straight to the finish line to snatch the title with a brilliant exhibition of boat handling.

That victory was the first of six successive wins in the JJ Giltinan Trophy for Murray and Colour 7. In 2008 staying with the same sponsor, Murray was the program manager for the Seve Jarvin skippered Gotta Love it 7 team which went on to win seven JJ Giltinan trophies between 2008 and 2015.

Murray sailed his first America's Cup in 1983 in the 12-metre Advance, before being wining the Australian Defence Trials in 1987 in Kookaburra - which was defeated by Dennis Conner in Stars & Stripes '87.

He was aboard One Australia when it sank in the 1995 America's Cup.

In 2008 Murray represented Australia at the Qingdao Olympic Regatta in the Star class finishing 14th.

He was Etchells World Champion in 1984 and 2019.

An experienced offshore competitor and designer, Murray has been an integral part of the Wild Oats XI campaign since its launch in 2005, to the present day, winning line honours nine times in the classic Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Murray has a long association with the Oatley family who challenged for the 2017 America's Cup through their Hamilton Island Yacht Club. After HIYC withdrew in July 2014, Murray was re-appointed to the position of Regatta Director for the 2017 America's Cup in Bermuda - having acted in the same role for the 2013 America's Cup in San Francisco.

Related Articles

America's Cup fillibustered by Challengers
A Cup in turmoil - Protocol is unsigned - with entries due to open on Sunday. Updated story: America's Cup got underway in Rome on Monday, with Round 2 of the official welcoming ceremonies on Wednesday in Naples. However three teams are working in collusion and have again issued statements within minutes of each other. Posted on 29 May
America's Cup enthusiastically received in Naples
The Castel dell'Ovo, was the venue for the arrival of the America's Cup in Napes The Castel dell'Ovo, set on the tuft peninsula of Megaride was the outstanding setting for the Official Host Venue Presentation of the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup. Posted on 28 May
Italian PM welcomes America's Cup in Rome
Prime Minister Meloni set out a bold vision for the regeneration planned around AC38 The magnificent setting of the Casino del Bel Respiro, commissioned by Pope Innocent X in 1644, in the grounds of Villa Pamphilj, was the outstanding and historic setting for the formal presentation of the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup. Posted on 26 May
America's Cup: Big changes in crew line-up
Women and Youth crews to sail in AC75 in the next Cup - Final Draft of AC38 Protocol Historic changes are proposed in the Final Draft of the Protocol released by the America's Cup Defender. For the first time a Female and Youth crew members will be part of the six-crew lineup on board the all-electric AC75s. Posted on 23 May
America's Cup: The Blitz of Statements
Various parties associated with the America's Cup released statements calling for more transparency Various parties associated with the America's Cup released statements calling for more transparency in the America's Cup. Emirates Team New Zealand responded by releasing what is tagged as the Final Draft of the Protocol. Posted on 23 May
America's Cup: Emirates Team NZ respond
Emirates Team New Zealand has responded to the statements sent overnight (NZT) Emirates Team New Zealand has responded to the statements sent overnight by two Challenger teams calling for more transparency in the negotiations over the Protocol and venue for the 38th Match. Posted on 22 May
NYYC American Magic team statement
Concerns over transparency and cooperation necessary to secure a fair Protocol Over the past seven years, we've competed with pride, purpose, and perseverance in two editions of the America's Cup. It has been an honor to represent the New York Yacht Club and the United States on the global stage. Posted on 22 May
Athena Racing concerned over 38th AC transparency
Around the recent announcement of a Host City for the Cup in 2027 Athena Racing, representing Royal Yacht Squadron Ltd. as Challenger of Record for the 38th America's Cup, is concerned by the ongoing lack of transparency around the recent announcement of a Host City for the Cup in 2027. Posted on 22 May
America's Cup: Part 2 - No Excuse to Lose
The last race of the (63+254i) America's Cup has begun where tension deepens and strategy sharpens The last race of the (63+254i)th America's Cup has begun. Earth's syndicate, led by the New York Yacht Club, faces off against the Thalassocratic League of Deniau in a final match — winner takes all. Posted on 18 May
Dalton claims Alinghi are still recruiting
Emirates Team NZ CEO claims the Swiss America's Cup team Alinghi are still actively recruiting. In the course of a TV interview following the announcement of the venue for the 38th America's Cup, Emirates Team New Zealand CEO claimed that the Swiss America's Cup team Alinghi, were still actively recruiting, despite being in an "orderly wind-down". Posted on 17 May
Lloyd Stevenson - AC Alinghi 1456x180px BOTTOMPalm Beach Motor YachtsSelden 2020 - FOOTER