Strengthen future by securing the past

Australian sailing great Iain Murray believes the establishment of the Barranjoey Pin alumni program brings sailing into line with other ironically Australian sports and lays a foundation from which subsequent generations can launch.

The uniquely numbered Pins will be presented around the country this year and next to those athletes who have represented and continue to represent Australia at the highest levels in sailing. It is named after the yacht ‘Barranjoey’, which was sailed to Australia’s first Olympic sailing gold medal, at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Murray – a 2008 Olympian, America’s Cup stalwart and current Australian Sailing Performance Director – is recipient of Pin No.159. Looking to strengthen the sport, he called on Australia’s top Olympic class sailors to utilise the knowledge offered by their predecessors, as they set about forging their own path.

“We’ve seen it very strongly in other sports, whether it be rugby or cricket, but it’s probably been missing in sailing a little bit,” Murray said.

“By producing this pin and bringing all these people back to the fold, having their stories exposed, having the people that are around available to come and talk to the young guys and share their experiences, I think it’s part of the brotherhood of where we’re trying to get to.

“We’ve all had our fun, had our successes, had our journeys representing Australia in sailing. There comes a time, I think, where you have a duty to put back in to your sport and try to make it better for the next group of sailors.”

Australian Sailing President, Matt Allen, said the Barranjoey Pin was a natural extension from the establishment of the Australian Sailing Hall of Fame last year.

“This creates the start of a process to bring a lot of sailors back in to the sport, renew friendships, and also allow us to go on doing mentoring programs and other programs to bring people together,” Allen said.

“We will utilise the expertise that a lot of people who’ve retired have … to help the sailors of today to the mutual benefit of the people involved.”

Allen presented Pin No.1 to Virginia Jamieson, the daughter of legendary sailor Jock Sturrock MBE, a four-time Olympian, bronze medallist, America’s Cup skipper and the 1962 Australian of the Year.

Barranjoey crew member James ‘Dick’ Sargeant became emotional as he received Pin No.28, recalling stories of their groundbreaking triumph more than half a century ago.

Allen then presented Pins to the latest recipients, current Australian Sailing Team 49er crew and Joel Turner (No.206), who are preparing for the World Championships in Denmark in August.

“It sets a really big platform that we have to work from,” said Joel Turner (No. 206), who along with David Gilmour (No.205) are campaigning in the 49er for Tokyo 2020. “We know that Australians have been very successful. It sets us up with [the knowledge of] how hard we have to work. We’re definitely under no illusion that it’s an easy target to get an Olympic medal, but that’s what we’re here for.”

PHOTO (L-R): Iain Murray, Joel Turner, Matt Allen, Virginia Jamieson, David Gilmour, ‘Dick’ Sargeant

Eligibility for Barranjoey Pin
In order to be eligible to receive the Barranjoey Pin, athletes must either have:

• Competed for Australia in an Olympic boat class* at a World Championship, Women’s World Championship or Paralympic World Championship and placed Top 10 at that event.
• Competed for Australia at the Olympic or Paralympic Games in sailing.
• Achieved Australian Sailing Team (AST) status in an Olympic boat class following its inception in 2006.

* The boat class must have been a current Olympic boat class at the time of competing (i.e. Elliott 6m was only in for the 2012 Olympic Games, therefore someone who competed in this event outside the years of 2009-2012 would not be eligible).

Source: Australian Sailing