Please select your home edition
Edition
Ovington 2021 - ILCA 3 - LEADERBOARD

Australian Olympic gold medalist signs on with Yachting New Zealand

by Michael Brown/Yachting NZ 19 Oct 2021 04:27 BST 19 October 2021
Jenny Armstrong (left) with Rosie Chapman (right) © Yachting NZ

Olympic Gold medalist in the Womens 470 class, Jenny Armstrong will takeover as Yachting New Zealand's women's sailing manager and Laser Radial programme manager.

Armstrong represented Australia in the Womens 470 class at the 2000 Olympics, after representing New Zealand in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, where she placed fourth. Since exiting the 470 class, she has coached sailors to youth world titles and overseen a revival of activity at her local yacht club and now Jenny Armstrong will combine all of her knowledge and experiences when she joins Yachting New Zealand.

Armstrong will tomorrow start as Yachting New Zealand's women's sailing manager and Laser Radial programme manager, taking over from Rosie Chapman who is relocating to the United States with her partner after a couple of years in the role.

Along with a high performance focus, Armstrong will be tasked with the continued implementation of Yachting New Zealand's Women and Girls in Sailing Strategy, which aims to attract, develop and retain more females in sailing, inspire future champions and advance diversity and equal opportunities across all levels of the sport in this country.

She will also oversee the Laser Radial programme, and next month Annabelle Rennie-Younger and Olivia Christie will return to international competition at the Laser Radial world championships in Oman.

"I'm really excited to get stuck into helping with the Women and Girls in Sailing Strategy and help females get set up in the sport and helping more to compete at the highest level," Armstrong said. "Rosie has done a really good job to set this up and it's now about developing it even further.

"I have the experience. I know what it takes to make it and that gets you a long way with athletes when building trust because you are talking about real-life experiences. That gets you a head start."

Armstrong's route to the top is unlike most. She finished fourth in the Europe dinghy for New Zealand at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics before switching allegiance to Australia and winning gold with Belinda Stowell in the women's 470 at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

She's also coached the likes of Seb Menzies and Blake McGlashan to gold at the youth sailing world championships and has played a leading hand with her local club in Dunedin since returning to her roots in 2016. You can learn more about her story in this Yachting New Zealand podcast.

Armstrong will remain in Dunedin with the aim of spending one week every month in Auckland once the city's borders reopen.

"I will ensure the regions and South Island have a loud voice because that probably hasn't always been the case," she said. "Hopefully I can be someone people feel comfortable talking to whether it's for guidance or support."

Armstrong will inevitably work the boat park at this weekend's Laser Radial South Island championships in Picton, emphasising the pathways available to both young females and males, but will also go there to build on her overall win in the Radial masters division at this year's Laser national championships.

She will then spend next week alongside some of this country's top female coaches from any sport involved in High Performance Sport New Zealand's women in high performance sport project, to expand the female coaching talent pool. Chapman has been involved in another arm of the project as one of eight women in the residency programme.

"The programme has been really interesting," Armstrong said. "I'm learning a lot and it has given me a lot more confidence to say what I think. It will be nice to be able to apply some of what I have learned in this role."

Armstrong will work closely with Yachting New Zealand national sport development director Raynor Haagh as well as high performance director Ian Stewart.

"It's great to have someone of Jenny's calibre taking over this important role and it feels good having a strong South Island connection," Stewart said.

"Rosie has done a really good job over the last couple of years with things like women's health and coach mentorship and we wish her well with her move back to the United States."

Related Articles

Yachting NZ: National Championship roundup
Optimists to the Etchells, the past month has seen top performances across the board From the Optimists to the Etchells, the past month has seen top performances across the board, with sailors of all levels showcasing their skills and determination. Posted on 7 May
Taipa Sailing Club hard hit by Cyclone
The Taipa Sailing Club is reeling after being hard hit by Cyclone Tam - launches Givealittle page When Cyclone Tam tore the roof off the Taipa Sailing Club just over a week ago, the immediate future of the small Northland yacht club suddenly looked uncertain.A Givealittle page has raised more than $6000 in the first five days. Posted on 28 Apr
NZL Sailing Team: Tom Saunders wins silver
Tom Saunders celebrated his return to the world stage with NZ's second post-Olympics medla Tom Saunders celebrated his return to the world stage with New Zealand's second medal of the short international sailing season, claiming silver in his first major regatta since the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Posted on 27 Apr
NZL Sailing Team: Bronze for Ten Have
Veerle Ten Have starts new Olympic campaign with bronze at Princess Sofia Trophy The 24-year-old Tauranga sailor claimed bronze in the women's iQFOiL at the 2025 Princess Sofia Trophy regatta in Palma, Mallorca on Saturday following a strong display of speed and consistency in her first major regatta since finishing 10th in Marseille. Posted on 6 Apr
Oceanbridge Sail Auckland 2025 Day 3
A new top 49er crew give masterclass on Day 3 of Oceanbridge Sail Auckland Plenty of hard work and a touch of Olympic inspiration has propelled one of New Zealand's most promising double-handed crews to success at the country's premier domestic sailing event. Posted on 2 Mar
Oceanbridge Sail Auckland 2025 Day 2
Set for a thrilling conclusion at Torbay Sailing Club The 2025 Oceanbridge Sail Auckland is set for a thrilling conclusion, with little separating the leaders in most fleets as they battle it out at Torbay Sailing Club. Posted on 1 Mar
YNZ CEO to step down after 14years at the helm
Yachting New Zealand chief executive David Abercrombie has announced his retirement Yachting New Zealand chief executive David Abercrombie has announced his retirement, bringing down the curtain on more than 14 years at the organisation's helm. Posted on 26 Feb
Olympic Silver medalists win Sailor the Year
Olympic Silver medalists win Sir Bernard Ferguson Trophy at Sailor of the Year Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie won the top honour at the 2024 Barfoot & Thompson Yachting Excellence Awards on Friday, claiming the Sailor of the Year title as Olympic sailors dominated the major awards. Posted on 22 Nov 2024
Paris 2024: New Zealand wins second sailing medal
Start line error by Brits is Kiwi's gain in Mixed Multihull in another tense light air race day Micah Wilkinson and Erica Dawson won New Zealand's second sailing medal of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and broke a 36-year drought when they won bronze in the mixed multihull event. Posted on 9 Aug 2024
Paris 2024: Nervy wait for Nacra 17 crew
The fickle Marseille wind pushed the mixed multihull decider into a reserve day New Zealand faces another nervy wait for a shot at a second Olympic sailing medal, as the fickle Marseille wind pushed the mixed multihull decider into a reserve day and played a part in ending the campaign of three other Kiwi competitors. Posted on 8 Aug 2024
Allen Dynamic 40 FooterSelden 2020 - FOOTERP&B