Aussie sailors awarded

Yachting Australia has reported that Australian Sailing Team (AST) Members, and AST Patron Bob Oatley, have received honours in the 2014 Australia Day honours list.

Olympic gold medallists Tom Slingsby, Mat Belcher, Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen, along with Paralympic gold medallist Daniel Fitzgibbon, all received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for services to sport.

Paralympic sailing gold medallist Liesl Tesch, Fitzgibbon’s crew at the London 2012 Paralympics, who already holds an OAM following her Olympic success as a basketballer, was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of her significant service to sport at the London 2012 Paralympic Games as well as for her “promotion and facilitation of sport for people with disabilities”.

The major honour among sailors went to Bob Oatley, owner of the Sydney-Hobart record-holder Wild Oats XI and long-time supporter, patron and partner of the Australian Sailing Team and Yachting Australia. Bob received an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to the Australian wine and tourism industries, to yacht racing, and to the community as a supporter of medical research and visual arts organisations.

"It was wonderful to see our AST Athletes and one of our key supporters recognised in the Australia Day honours list. Our medal haul in 2012 was without equal and it is fitting that our gold medal winning athletes should be acknowledged in this way," said Matt Allen, President of Yachting Australia.

"It is especially pleasing that Bob Oatley, who has done so much for the sport of sailing in Australia, and who was one of the founding Patrons of the AST should receive an AO on the same list. The support of Bob and our other Patrons is invaluable, and will be one of the keys in addressing the challenges we face in Rio in 2016."

In an impressive showing for sailing, Tasmanian-based sailing journalist Peter Campbell received an OAM. Peter has been a mainstay of the Australian sailing media for over 50 years, including a role as editor of Australian Sailing magazine.

"Peter has made a wonderful contribution to sailing as part of the fourth estate,” said Phil Jones, CEO of Yachting Australia. “He has a vast knowledge of sailing and has the gift of conveying it in an informative and entertaining way. Peter has forgotten more than most people will ever know about the sport!"

David Tillett, an International Judge who has chaired both the America’s Cup and Olympic Jury’s and serves as a Council Member at the International Sailing Federation as well as an ex officio member of the Yachting Australia Board, also received an AM “for significant service to the sport of sailing”.