Jock Sturrock
Encyclopedia
Alexander Stuart "Jock" Sturrock MBE (Melbourne
, 14 May 1915Noosa Heads, 11 July 1997) was a noted Australian yachtsman who won over four hundred national and state championship yachting races.
In 1962 Jock Sturrock was Australian of the Year
, Australian Yachtsman of the Year, and Australian Sportsperson of the Year (the Lindy Trophy). In 1975 he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire
(MBE) for services to yachting. And in 1985 he was elected one of the five inaugural "Legends of Australian Sport" on the establishment of the Sports Australia Hall of Fame.
He won his first Australian yachting championship in the 12-foot Cadet dinghy "Monsoon" in 1932 at the age of 12 in Perth. At 18 he helped pioneer the introduction of the International Star Class into Australia, and won the first 8 Australian championships in that class (between 1935 and 1947). He was 3-time Australian 6 Metre class champion (1946, 1947, and 1949), 3-time Australian Dragon class champion (1953/54, 1954/55, and 1955/56), and 2-time Australian 5.5 Metre class champion (1956 and 1959).
He represented Australia in four Olympic Games
, 1948 London (Star class), 1952 Helsinki (Dragon class), 1956 Melbourne (Bronze Medal, 5.5 Metre Class
), and 1960 Rome (5.5 Metre class). He was the Australian flag-bearer at the opening ceremony of the Rome Olympic Games.
He achieved international public recognition when he skippered Australia's first challenge for the America's Cup in Gretel
in 1962. Although defeated 4 to 1 by Weatherly, Gretel's victory in the second race was the first by a challenger since 1934, and is widely recognised as the first of the events that resurrected the America's Cup as an international sporting competition. He also skippered Dame Pattie
, Australia's second America's Cup challenger, in 1967, which was beaten 4 to 0 by the highly controversial defender Intrepid
.
He also represented Australia multiple times as an ocean racing skipper in the Admiral's Cup (England) and the Kenwood Cup (Hawaii), managed 2 successful Australian campaigns for the [International C-Class Catamaran Challenge] (the 'Little America's Cup'), and sailed in 11 Sydney-Hobart races.
Between 1972 and 1980 he was a member of the Olympic Fund Raising Committee.
Other tributes to him include a street named after him (Sturrock Place) in the Canberra
suburb of Gordon
, a court (Sturrock Court) in the Melbourne suburb of Mill Park and a bridge in Noosa, Queensland.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, 14 May 1915Noosa Heads, 11 July 1997) was a noted Australian yachtsman who won over four hundred national and state championship yachting races.
In 1962 Jock Sturrock was Australian of the Year
Australian of the Year
Since 1960 the Australian of the Year Award has been part of the celebrations surrounding Australia Day , during which time the award has grown steadily in significance to become Australia’s pre-eminent award. The Australian of the Year announcement has become a very prominent part of the annual...
, Australian Yachtsman of the Year, and Australian Sportsperson of the Year (the Lindy Trophy). In 1975 he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(MBE) for services to yachting. And in 1985 he was elected one of the five inaugural "Legends of Australian Sport" on the establishment of the Sports Australia Hall of Fame.
He won his first Australian yachting championship in the 12-foot Cadet dinghy "Monsoon" in 1932 at the age of 12 in Perth. At 18 he helped pioneer the introduction of the International Star Class into Australia, and won the first 8 Australian championships in that class (between 1935 and 1947). He was 3-time Australian 6 Metre class champion (1946, 1947, and 1949), 3-time Australian Dragon class champion (1953/54, 1954/55, and 1955/56), and 2-time Australian 5.5 Metre class champion (1956 and 1959).
He represented Australia in four Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, 1948 London (Star class), 1952 Helsinki (Dragon class), 1956 Melbourne (Bronze Medal, 5.5 Metre Class
5.5 Metre (keelboat)
The International 5.5 Metre Class was created to yield a racing keel boat giving a sailing experience similar to that of the International 6 Metre Class, but at a lower cost....
), and 1960 Rome (5.5 Metre class). He was the Australian flag-bearer at the opening ceremony of the Rome Olympic Games.
He achieved international public recognition when he skippered Australia's first challenge for the America's Cup in Gretel
Gretel
Gretel is a German shortening of the name Margarete. It may refer to:*Gretel, one of the main characters in the Brothers Grimm fairy tale Hansel and Gretel...
in 1962. Although defeated 4 to 1 by Weatherly, Gretel's victory in the second race was the first by a challenger since 1934, and is widely recognised as the first of the events that resurrected the America's Cup as an international sporting competition. He also skippered Dame Pattie
Dame Pattie
Dame Pattie is an International 12-metre class racing yacht built for the America's Cup challenge series in 1967. She was designed by Warwick Hood and built by W.H. Barnett in New South Wales, Australia....
, Australia's second America's Cup challenger, in 1967, which was beaten 4 to 0 by the highly controversial defender Intrepid
Intrepid
Intrepid can refer to:intrepid [ɪnˈtrɛpɪd]adjfearless; daring; bold [from Latin intrepidus, from in-1 + trepidus fearful, timid]intrepidity , intrepidness nintrepidly adv- People and organizations :...
.
He also represented Australia multiple times as an ocean racing skipper in the Admiral's Cup (England) and the Kenwood Cup (Hawaii), managed 2 successful Australian campaigns for the [International C-Class Catamaran Challenge] (the 'Little America's Cup'), and sailed in 11 Sydney-Hobart races.
Between 1972 and 1980 he was a member of the Olympic Fund Raising Committee.
Other tributes to him include a street named after him (Sturrock Place) in the Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
suburb of Gordon
Gordon, Australian Capital Territory
Gordon is a suburb in the Canberra, Australia district of Tuggeranong. The postcode is 2906. The suburb is named after the poet Adam Lindsay Gordon . It was gazetted on 12 March 1987...
, a court (Sturrock Court) in the Melbourne suburb of Mill Park and a bridge in Noosa, Queensland.