Jo Richards - a madforsailing profile

One of the key members of the GBR Challenge design team and a top racer

What is your date of birth? 31st March 1954.

Where were you born?
Birmingham.

At what age did you start sailing?
18 days old.

What inspired you to take up sailing?
I had always sailed with my parents.

Where was your first sailing club?
Avon Sailing Club, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.

Which class did you first race in?
National 12.

How did you buy your first boat?
Saved all my pocket, dinner and ice-cream money from the age of 8 - 16, then designed and built my first National 12.

What was your first regatta win?
L.A.N.T. Trophy 1960 aged 6, as crew in a National 12.

What’s your biggest event or championship win?
Olympic Bronze Medal, 1984.

Any other notable regattas that you have taken part in you would like to mention?
Wins in the Formula 28 Worlds, One Ton Cup, Fastnet Race, Southern Cross.

Which event will you be taking part in next?
Warsash Spring series in the 1720.

Do you do any sailing specific off the water training?
A lot of tea drinking.

Which coaches do you use if any?
National Express.

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

Which other sports do you take part in?
Depends on what you call sport and who's asking.

Do you have other hobbies or interests outside of sailing?
Gardening, biking.

Do you have a favourite bar, pub or restaurant?
No.

Tell us about your most memorable sail?
All the Formula 40 racing.

Who are your role models?
Too old for that.

What’s your biggest remaining goal in sailing?
To keep enjoying it.

How much time do you spend on the water each week?
None at present, but depends entirely on the project.

Who are your sponsors?
None personally, although Full Pelt is sponsored by SLAM.

What is the best excuse you have ever given for a poor performance in a race?
Not noticing we had an anchor, chain and rope from the start mark wrapped around the keel, which we thought we'd knifed and got rid of. We still managed 18 knots in the 36 footer.

What is the funniest thing you have either witnessed or experienced whilst sailing?
On the startline of a Formula 40 race, Alain Comyn taking a sledgehammer to Yves Parlier's boat after a top mark incident in the previous race.

Do you have a favourite sailing venue and what makes it a great place to sail?
Lake Garda. Fresh water.

What's the single thing that could most improve the running of regattas?
Decent race officers.

What is your greatest strength in sailing?
Experience.

What is your greatest weakness in sailing?
Women

What's the single most important piece of advice you could give to younger sailors?
Don't confuse endeavour with achievement.

If you could sail for a day with anyone of your choice who would it be and why?
Cindy Crawford, she's bright and other more obvious reasons.

Who do you think are the best sailors in Britain?
If I'd had had to put money on anyone to take gold in Sydney I would have put it on Iain Percy.

Who do you rate as the best sailor in the world?
Paul Cayard

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