Bill Edgerton - a mad for sailing profile

RYA secret weapon

What’s your date of birth? 13 October 1951

Where were you born?
Adelaide, South Australia.

At what age did you start sailing?
11 years old

What inspired you to take up sailing?
Parents, particularly father as I was too small for rugby.

Where was your first sailing club?
Sydney, Australia. (Olympic Course Area 'C' )

Which class did you first race in?
VJs

How did you buy your first boat?
Money from my grandmother and a paper round.

What was your first regatta win?
NSW state title in VS’s

What’s your biggest event or championship win?
1981 2- Ton Worlds in Sardinia aboard Hitchiker

Any other notable regattas that you have taken part in you would like to mention?
Most of the best big boat regattas over the last 25 years, I have been very lucky.

Which event will you be taking part in next?
Colonial Cup, (Daring team racing, Royal Yacht Squadron v Royal Freshwater Bay Sailing Club

Do you do any sailing-specific off the water training?
Not enough lately!

Which coaches do you use if any?
Anyone I can

If you weren’t doing the job you are, what would you like to be doing instead?
Retired.

Which other sports do you take part in?
Skiing (well), tennis (occasional), golf (badly)

Do you have other hobbies or interests outside of sailing?
Yes

Do you have a favourite bar, pub or restaurant?
It's not so much the place but where it’s located.

Tell us about your most memorable sail?
Rounding a mark off Portsmouth Forts in a SW force 8 - 9 at an average speed of 19.5 knots. This was in 1989 when boats didn’t track quite so well.

Who are your role models?
Sir James Hardy for his approach to life and sailing, Ken Beashell for the opposite approach but the same reason, Uffa Fox because he believed "the only place for weight was in a steam roller", Albert Camus for his approach to living.

What’s your biggest remaining goal in sailing?
To be a team member of a winning America's Cup program.

How much time do you spend on the water each week?
Two to three days on average

Who are your sponsors?
My wife.

What is the best excuse you have ever given for a poor performance in a race?
My wife.

What is the funniest thing you have either witnessed or experienced whilst sailing?
Alastair 'Ball' Munro various.

Do you have a favorite sailing venue and what makes it a great place to sail?
The Solent. It's so hard!

What’s the single thing that could most improve the running of regattas?
Organisers!

What is your greatest strength in sailing?
Technical skills, experience and competitiveness

What is your greatest weakness in sailing?
I don't suffer fools

What’s the single most important piece of advice you could give to younger sailors?
Listen.

Who are your sailing heroes and why?
Anyone that wins a regatta. It's hard to win.

If you could sail for a day with anyone of your choice who would it be and why?
Nathaniel Herreshoff, a man ahead of his time.

Who do you think are the best sailors in Britain?
I couldn’t possibly comment for obvious reasons.

Who do you rate as the best sailor in the world?
Probably Jochen Schuemann, but there are quite a few greats.

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