Shirley Robertson

{{MedalCountry|{{GBR2}}}}

Shirley Ann Robertson, OBE DL (born 15 July 1968) is a British sailor and Olympic gold medallist. She is the first British woman to win Olympic gold medals at consecutive Olympic Games, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004.

Early life

Robertson was born in Dundee, Scotland, but spent her early life in Menstrie in central Scotland. Robertson began sailing at the age of seven on Loch Ard in Scotland. Her early passion for the sport was nurtured by her family, leading her to compete in local and national events.{{Cite web |title=Profile |url=https://shirleyrobertson.com/profile/ |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=Shirley Robertson OBE |language=en-US}}

Career

Robertson's first major international breakthrough came in the 1998 World Championships, where she won a silver medal in the Europe class. This set the stage for her Olympic debut at the 1996 Atlanta Games, where she competed in the Europe class, finishing in fourth place.

Robertson made a significant breakthrough during the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, where she won her first gold medal in the Europe class. This victory marked a significant moment in British sailing history, as it was the first time a British woman had won an Olympic gold in sailing.{{Cite web |title=Shirley Robertson {{!}} Team GB |url=https://www.teamgb.com/athlete/shirley-robertson/4819duo4vEqz6jdgxL7loR |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=www.teamgb.com |language=en-gb}}

Four years later, at the Athens 2004 Olympics, Robertson secured her second gold medal, this time in the Yngling class, alongside crew-mates Sarah Webb and Sarah Ayton. This achievement made her the first British woman to win gold medals at two consecutive Olympic Games.{{cite Sports-Reference |title=Shirley Robertson |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ro/shirley-robertson-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161203214810/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ro/shirley-robertson-1.html |archive-date=2016-12-03}}

= Post-Olympic career =

In January 2006 she became the presenter of Mainsail, a monthly CNN program devoted to the sport of sailing. Since 2008 she has been also a commentator for the BBC's sailing coverage at the Summer Olympics, commentating from five Olympic sailing regattas.

Robertson is also part of the commentary team for the prestigious America's Cup, commentating from Auckland, New Zealand and Barcelona, Spain for the 36th and 37th editions of the world's oldest international sporting trophy.

In 2024 Shirley Robertson took up the roll of General Manager of the [http://www.superyra.org SuperYacht Racing Association], SYRA, the global sporting body that oversees the racing of superyachts. Robertson herself has been racing on the superyacht circuit for over a decade.

Robertson nominated Callum Airlie as one of the seven teenagers to light the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. During the games, she became a commentator for the BBC, commentating on the sailing from Weymouth.

In 2019, Robertson launched her own podcast series: Shirley Robertson's Sailing Podcast which sees Robertson sit down for in depth and personal interviews with some of the leading figures from the sport of sailing.{{Cite web |title=Podcast |url=https://shirleyrobertson.com/podcast/ |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=Shirley Robertson OBE |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=An interview with Shirley Robertson about her new sailing podcast |url=https://www.sail-world.com/news/223230/Shirley-Robertson-on-her-new-sailing-podcast |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=www.sail-world.com}}

In 2023, she became the godmother of MS Ambition, a cruise ship operated by Ambassador Cruise Line.{{Cite web |title=Gold Medallist Shirley Robertson named Ambition's Godmother |url=https://www.ambassadorcruiseline.com/newsroom/olympic-gold-medallist-shirley-robertson-obe-named-godmother-of-ambassador-cruise-lines-second-ship-ambition/ |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=Gold Medallist Shirley Robertson named Ambition's Godmother |language=en}} The first stop on the ship's maiden voyage was from Newcastle to Dundee, Robertson's birth place.

Competition record

class="wikitable"

|+Representing Great Britain

!Year

!Competition

!Location

!Position

!Event

1993

| rowspan="3" |{{center|World Championships}}

|{{center|Kaløvig, Denmark}}

|bgcolor=silver|{{center|2nd}}

|{{center|Europe class}}

|{{center|Travemünde, Germany}}

|bgcolor=silver|{{center|2nd}}

|{{center|Europe class}}

|{{center|Mornington, Australia}}

|bgcolor=cc9966|{{center|3rd}}

|{{center|Europe class}}

1999

|{{center|European Championships}}

|{{center|Hayling Island, United Kingdom}}

|bgcolor=silver|{{center|2nd}}

|{{center|Europe class}}

|{{center|World Championships}}

|{{center|Salvador da Bahia, Brazil}}

|bgcolor=silver|{{center|2nd}}

|{{center|Europe class}}

|rowspan="2" |{{center|Olympic Games}}

|{{center|Sydney, Australia}}

|bgcolor=gold|{{center|1st}}

|{{center|Europe class}}

|{{center|Athens, Greece}}

|bgcolor=gold|{{center|1st}}

|{{center|Yngling class}}

|{{center|World Championships}}

|{{center|Cascais, Portugal}}

|bgcolor=cc9966|{{center|3rd}}

|{{center|Yngling class}}

Honours and recognition

Robertson was named female World Sailor of the Year by the International Sailing Federation in 2000, and was appointed an MBE in 2000 and an OBE in 2005 for services to Sailing.

Personal life

Shirley has two children and lives with her longterm partner, documentary cameraman Tim Butt. They live in Cowes, on the Isle of Wight.

References

External links

{{Official website|https://shirleyrobertson.com/}}
{{Scottish Sports Hall of Fame|shirley-robertson-obe|Shirley Robertson OBE}}
{{World Sailing|id=GBRSR6|www=shirley-ann-robertson-mbe|name=Shirley Ann Robertson MBE}}
{{Olympics.com}}
{{Olympedia}}
{{Team GB}}
[http://www.wideworldmag.com/2012/06/24/shirley-robertson-double-olympic-gold-medalist/ Article on WideWorld Magazine]