Eight Bells: Gordon Ingate

Australian sailing icon Gordon Ingate OAM died April 24, 2026 at the age of 100.

One of Australia’s most accomplished and enduring sailors, Ingate’s remarkable life in the sport spanned almost a century. Known affectionately as “Wingnut”, he was widely respected not only for his achievements on the water, but for his spirit, humility, and lifelong passion for sailing.

Born in Sydney in 1926, Ingate’s love of the sea began as a young Sea Scout and developed into a career that would see him compete at the highest levels of the sport. He represented Australia at the Munich 1972 Olympic Games in the Tempest class, fulfilling a long-held dream after earlier qualifying for the London 1948 and Helsinki 1952 Games but being unable to attend due to work commitments.

“Gordon was one of Australia’s most accomplished and loved sailors,” offered Matt Allen AM, Vice President of the Australian Olympic Committee. “His contribution to the Australian Olympic Athletes Oath for the Paris 2024 Olympics was spoken with so much gravitas when he said, ‘Once an Olympian, always an Olympian’.

“Gordon celebrated his 100th birthday in late March, in fine spirits and with so many of his family and friends in attendance where he was the life of the party, as always. Gordon was our oldest living Olympian, he will be missed by the entire Olympic Family.”

Ingate was a prominent figure in offshore and international sailing. He skippered Caprice of Huon to second place in the 1972 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and played a key role in Australia’s challenge for the America’s Cup, helming Gretel II during the 1977 campaign.

A highly versatile competitor, Ingate’s success extended across multiple classes and decades. He won the Australian Dragon Championship on four occasions, with his final Prince Philip Cup coming at Metung Yacht Club in 2018 at the age of 91.

“Gordon gave so much of himself to sailing, and he was at the forefront of so many international campaigns during Australia’s zenith of the sport,” noted Olympian Malcolm Page OAM, Australian Sailing CEO. “He not only loved to race, and win, but he was a forward thinker who always had the big picture in mind.

“He was one of the early champions of driving youth and female participation in our sport, you always knew that if Wingnut had your back on a project you were in the best of hands.”

In recognition of his immense contribution to the sport, Ingate was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia and, in 2020, received Australian Sailing’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

A longstanding member of both the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Ingate remained actively involved in sailing well into his later years, continuing to race and inspire generations of sailors with his enthusiasm and love of competition.

Those who knew Gordon remember him as a generous mentor, a fierce competitor, and a true gentleman of the sport. His humor, determination, and deep connection to the sailing community made him a beloved figure both in Australia and internationally.

Gordon Ingate’s legacy lives on in the countless sailors he inspired, the races he shaped, and the enduring example he set of a life lived with purpose, resilience and passion. He is survived by his children Stephen and Christine and the countless friends and competitors he compiled along his way.