:Iain Murray (sailor)
{{short description|Australian sailor}}
{{BLP sources|date=August 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox sailor
| name = Iain Murray AM
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| nationality = Australian
| classes = Cherub, Etchells, 12-Metre Class, Star, 5O5{{cite web |title=Iain Murray |url=https://5o5.iworks.pl/fleet-person/iain-murray/ |website=5o5 Results Archive |access-date=26 February 2023}}
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|04|14|df=y}}
| birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Iain Murray {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AM}} (born 14 April 1958) is an Australian sailor and yacht designer
Murray is known for his success in the 18 ft skiff class, appearances in 12-Metre Class yachts in the 1983 and 1987 America's Cup regattas, innovation in yacht design, management of the 2013 and 2017 America's Cup and global SailGP and for winning a second World Championship in the Etchells class 35 years after the first.{{cite news |last1=Curnow |first1=John |title=Crack Australian crew reign supreme at world titles in Texas|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/sailing/crack-australian-crew-reign-supreme-at-world-titles-in-texas-20190701-p522yd.html|access-date=17 August 2021 |work=article |agency=Sail World |issue=11 Aug 2019 |publisher=Sail World Australia |date=11 Aug 2019 |ref=“I can remember back to 1984,” said Murray, recalling his last Etchells world championship win. }}
Sailing career
Murray started sailing in Flying Ant class dinghies at the age of nine. His first major event win was at the 1973 Australian Cherub Championships at the age of fourteen in a boat he had designed and built himself at the age of twelve.{{cite news |last1=Coomber |first1=John |title=Mid-life crisis? Iain Murray hitches himself to a star |url=https://www.theroar.com.au/2008/05/22/mid-life-crisis-iain-murray-hitches-himself-to-a-star/|access-date=18 August 2022 |work=interview with Iain Murray |agency=Roar |issue=21 May 2008 |date=21 May 2008 |ref=Iain Murray – “That led to the design of boats and building boats. When I was 12 years old I designed and built a boat and won a national title against all the seniors in the class (Cherub).”}}
He won regattas including 6 consecutive 18 foot skiff World Championships, leading to his appearances in 12-Metre Class yachts in the America's Cup regattas, and then for his long-standing involvement with the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. This includes 26 races, and three overall victories, one as a designer, builder and skipper of Bumblebee 5 in 2001.{{cite news |last1=Campbell |first1=Peter |title=Iain Murray steers Bumblebee 5 to victory in Telstra Cup invitation race |url=https://www.sail-world.com/1163 |access-date=19 August 2022 |publisher=Sail World |date=11 December 2000 |ref=International yacht designer Iain Murray underlined his talent on the helm by steering Bumblebee 5}}{{cite news |last1=Fisher |first1=Bob |title=Bumblebee causes buzz in Sydney-Hobart race |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2001/dec/31/sailing?CMP=share_btn_link |access-date=19 August 2022 |issue=Sailing |work=The Guardian |date=1 January 2002 |ref=Iain Murray wins the Sydney-Hobart race on John Kahlbetzer's 62ft Bumblebee 5, which his design studio created}}
A 14-year association as tactician and helmsman on super maxi Wild Oats X1 contributed to nine Line Honours victories. For the 2022 Rolex Sydney to Hobart, Murray is sailing master on rival supermaxi Andoo Comanche.{{cite news |last1=Curnow |first1=John |title=Beginning a Winning |url=https://www.sail-world.com/news/252163/Beginning-a-Winning |access-date=19 August 2022 |work=online article |issue=Sail World Aus |publisher=Sail World |date=1 August 2022 |ref=Iain Murray on now being the sailing master on Comanche}}
= Olympic career =
He represented Australia in Sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, raced the Olympic Star class keelboat.{{cite news |url=https://www.livesaildie.com |last1=Martin |first1=Michael |title=Australian Sailing Celebrates Iain Murray |access-date=17 August 2022 |agency=Australian Sailing Communications |publisher=LiveSailDie |date=2 October 2021 |ref=Australian Sailing Celebrates Iain Murray}} In the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, alongside Victor Kovalenko, he managed the Australian Olympic Men's 470 team of Mat Belcher and Will Ryan to gold-medal victory.{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Michael |title=Australian Sailing celebrates Iain Murray |url=https://www.sail-world.com/news/242374/Australian-Sailing-celebrates-Iain-Murray |access-date=19 August 2022 |work=online article |agency=Australian Sailing |publisher=Sail World |date=1 October 2021 |ref=Iain Murray direct campaign management and support role for the men's 470's}}
= Sailing awards =
Murray won the 18 ft skiff world title, the JJ Giltinan International Trophy, for six consecutive years from 1977 to 1982.{{cite web |url=http://www.australiansailingteam.com.au/?Page=22121 |title=Profile : Iain Murray |work=Australian Sailing Team |access-date=2008-03-14}}{{cite web|url=http://www.18footers.com.au/index.php/australian-18-footers-league-2007-2008-racing-season |title=Australian 18 Footers History |access-date=2008-03-14 |work=Australian 18 Footers League Limited |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080226213406/http://www.18footers.com.au/index.php/australian-18-footers-league-2007-2008-racing-season |archive-date=26 February 2008 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}{{cite news |last1=Clarey |first1=Christopher |title=Veteran Sailor is back for his annual jaunt with friends |url=https://www.nytimes.com |access-date=19 August 2022 |work=article |agency=The New York Times |issue=sports |publisher=The New York Times Company |date=25 December 2011 |ref=Ian Murray winning six consecutive world titles in par 7}}
He was recognised as the Australian Yachtsmen of the Year in 1984.{{cite web |last1=Australian Sailing |title=Yachtsman of the Year – Australian Sailing|url=https://www.sailing.org.au/awards-archive/yachtsman-of-the-year/|website=sailing.org |publisher=Australian Sailing |access-date=17 August 2021 |ref=recognised as Yachstman of the Year}} In the same year he won the World Etchells championship held in Sydney,{{cite web |url=http://www.murrayburnsdovell.com.au/profile.html |title=Company Profile |work=Murray, Burns and Dovell |access-date=2008-03-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080718185817/http://murrayburnsdovell.com.au/profile.html |archive-date=18 July 2008 |url-status=dead }} a title he won again in Corpus Christi, Texas in 2019 with Colin Beashel and Richard Allanson.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/sailing/crack-australian-crew-reign-supreme-at-world-titles-in-texas-20190701-p522yd.html|title=Crack Australian crew reign supreme at world titles in Texas|last=Curnow|first=John|date=2019-07-01|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|access-date=2019-07-05}}
He was awarded Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron Yachtsman of the Year in 2020.{{cite web |last1=Wartho |first1=Isabel |title=Iain Murray is RSYS Yachtsman of the Year |url=https://www.rsys.com.au/iain-murray-is-rsys-yachtsman-of-the-year/ |website=Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron |publisher=RSYS |access-date=19 August 2022 |ref=RSYS Yachstman of the Year Iain Murray}}
In 2023, Murray was inducted to the Australian Sailing Hall of Famehttps://www.sailing.org.au/news/olympic-and-americas-cup-legends-among-hall-of-fame-2023-class/
= Boat design =
Murray developed the Nippa 2.65m dinghy for children, and also in partnership with Ian Burns and Andy Dovell, designed the Murray 41,{{cite web |last1=Muffet |first1=Jessica |title=brokerage data base |url=https://au.yachtworld.com |website=Yachtworld |publisher=Yachtworld International Ltd |access-date=17 August 2021 |ref=1996 Custom 41 Iain Murray racer}} the Sydney 36,{{cite web |last1=Performance Boating |title=yacht brokerage |url=https://performanceboating.com.au |website=Performance Boating |access-date=17 August 2021}} 38{{cite web |last1=Day |first1=Bob |title=Club news |url=https://www.sydney38class.com |website=Sydney 38 Class Association |access-date=17 August 2021}} and 46,{{cite web |last1=Cruising Yacht Club of Australia |title=Rolex Sydney to Hobart news |url=https://rolexsydneyhobart.com |website=C.Y.C.A |access-date=17 August 2021 |ref=Mahligai – Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 2022}} the Magic 25{{cite news |last1=Perry |first1=Robert H. |title=Hobie Magic 25 |url=https://sailingmagazine.net |access-date=17 August 2021 |work=Article online |agency=Sailing Magazine |issue=7 May 1996 |publisher=Sailing Magazine |date=7 May 1996 |ref=Perry on Design}} and classic motor boats such as Cambria 11 and Oscar{{cite news |last1=Wonders |first1=Bob |title=The Riviera Group and Azzurra Marine Expand |url=https://www.sail-world.com |access-date=19 August 2022 |work=online article |publisher=Sail World |date=30 December 2007 |ref=luxury boats builds from the 100 ft Oscar, last paragraph}} all built by Azzura Yachts.{{cite news |last1=Tranter |first1=Barry |title=A Moment with Murray |url=https://www.clubmarine.com.au/exploreboating/articles/22-6-A-moment-with-Murray |access-date=19 August 2022 |volume=22 |issue=6 |publisher=Club Marine |date=2007 |ref=Tranter on boats designed under the Murray Burns Dovell umbrella for Azzura Yachts including Cambria 2 and the Magic 25's}}
America's Cup
= Racing =
In the 1983 America's Cup challenge at Newport, Rhode Island, Murray sailed on Syd Fischer's Advance. Australia II went on to win the Cup and bring it to Australia. Murray joined Kevin Parry's Taskforce '87 syndicate and co-designed and skippered their Kookaburra yachts. Kookaburra III won the defender elimination trials against three other Australian syndicates including Alan Bond's Australia 111, off Fremantle.{{cite news |last1=Phillips |first1=Angus |title=BOND, THE LOSER, STILL HERO |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1987/01/21/bond-the-loser-still-hero/2f65a615-8a9d-4a11-abd4-22aff27c0515/ |access-date=20 August 2022 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=January 21, 1987 |ref=Kookaburra 111 completes a 5-nil sweep in the final trials for the America's Cup}}
Racing contracts prevented the winning syndicate from amending a boat to meet the waterline length of the American contender Stars & Stripes 87, rendering a proper defense unachievable and resulting in a four nil defeat.{{cite news |last1=Curnow |first1=John |title=America's Cup:Two Feet |url=https://www.sail-world.com/news/236301/Americas-Cup-Two-feet |access-date=17 August 2022 |work=online article |agency=Sail World |issue=29 March 2021 |publisher=Sail World Australia |date=29 March 2021 |ref= Curnow referring to the discrepancy betwen the boats and Murray not being able to reduce LWL and sail area in order to "make a race of it."}}
= Management =
He was Regatta Director for the 34th America's Cup in 2013, 35th America's Cup in 2017, and 36th America's Cup in 2021,{{Cite web|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1093798/americas-cup-regatta-director-murray|title=Veteran Australian sailor appointed regatta director of 2021 America's Cup|date=May 2020 }} 37th America’s Cup in 2024 and CEO of America's Cup Race Management.[http://www.americascup.com/news/seventh-team-now-confirmed_64 Seventh team now confirmed. americascup, 4 February 2011] He is the Regatta Director for SailGP since its inception in 2018.{{cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Bernie |title=Channel 7 News |url=https://7news.com.au |access-date=19 August 2022 |agency=Channel 7 |publisher=7 News.com.au |date=16 April 2021 |ref=Iain Murray as regatta director in the last par}}{{cite news |last1=Kothe |first1=Rob |title=Iain Murray: the "Big Fella" of the America's Cup on SailGP |url=https://yachtracing.life/iain-murray-the-big-fella-of-the-americas-cup-on-sailgp/|access-date=19 August 2022 |publisher=Yacht Racing Life |date=2018 |ref=Iain Murray is the Regatta Director for SailGP}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{World Sailing|id=AUSIM|www=iain-murray}}
- {{Olympics.com profile|iain-murray}}
- {{Olympedia}}
- {{AOC profile}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murray, Iain}}
Category:Australian male sailors (sport)
Category:1987 America's Cup sailors
Category:Sailors at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Star
Category:Olympic sailors for Australia
Category:2000 America's Cup sailors
Category:1983 America's Cup sailors
Category:1995 America's Cup sailors
Category:America's Cup yacht designers
Category:Etchells class world champions
Category:World champions in sailing for Australia
Category:Sailors (sport) from Sydney