In Memoriam: Sir James Hardy OBE

Known as ‘Gentleman Jim’, Sir James competed in and won many of sailing’s most prestigious races throughout his illustrious career. He has inspired a generation of Australian sailors and is considered a national hero in Australia for his role in the 1983 America’s Cup victory.

Hardy truly lived his life on the water, winning his first national championship in the Flying Dutchman class at age 16. He represented Australia in two Olympic Games, first as a reserve for the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games and then at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics where he finished seventh in the 5.5 Metre class.

In between, he won the 505 Class World Championships in Adelaide in 1966 before embarking upon a thirteen-year association with the America’s Cup where he was Skipper of three America’s Cup Challengers – first with Gretel II in 1970, then Southern Cross in 1974, and Australia in 1980.

His experience was essential to the success of the Australia II team in 1983. After initially joining the crew as Reserve Helmsman, he stepped in to skipper the boat after John Bertrand AO pinched a nerve in his neck and mounted an unlikely comeback by notching eight wins from nine races to secure Australia’s first and only America’s Cup win.

Hardy was made an OBE in 1975 and knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1981 for services to yachting and the community and was named Australian Yachtsman of the Year in the same year. In 1994 he was inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame, in 2000 he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal, and in 2017 he was an inaugural inductee to the Australian Sailing Hall of Fame as a member of Australia II.

“There will never be another Sir James,” said Australian Sailing President Alistair Murray AM. “His contribution to the sport cannot be understated. He was beloved by everyone he met and could not have given more of himself to driving the success of sailing in Australia. Personally, he was my hero, and I was proud to call him my friend. On behalf of Australian Sailing, I would like to share our sadness at the news and pass our condolences to his family and the many sailing friends he made along the way.”

He will be sorely missed by everyone at World Sailing, and we send our condolences to his wife Joan, sons David and Richard, and the entire Hardy family.

Main image courtesy of AAP.