NEWS - Aussie sailor lauded with prestigious US title
The Cruising Club of America (CCA) will award its prestigious 2010 Blue Water Medal to Australian Alex Whitworth for a circumnavigation of the world
via the Northwest Passage West to East.
The first Blue Water Medal was awarded in 1923 and it is given “for a most meritorious example of seamanship, the recipient to be selected from among the amateurs of all the nations”. The award will be presented on March 4 by CCA commodore Sheila McCurdy during the CCA’s annual Awards Dinner at the New York Yacht Club, Manhattan.
Whitworth was born in an air-raid shelter on the
Mediterranean island
of
Malta in 1942 and spent most of his childhood near
Manchester, England
or wherever his father was stationed at the time. His father, Alexander, a Royal Navy pilot, taught him to sail at a young age. At 19, Whitworth junior also joined the Royal Navy and became an Observer on carrier-based Sea Vixen aircraft until 1965.
In 1966, Whitworth immigrated to
Australia
and joined Adastra Aerial Surveys, where he worked both full and part-time until 1975. In 1974, he received a BA (Honours) in Political Science from
Melbourne
University
and in 1982, an MBA from the
University
of
NSW.
In 1993, Whitworth and his partner Hilary Yerbury purchased the sailboat
Berrimilla, a Brolga 33 designed by Australian Peter Joubert. Since the purchase, Whitworth has circumnavigated the world twice with
Berrimilla.
The first time began in 2004 when Whitworth sailed to the
UK via
Cape Horn. On the way,
Berrimilla
was in frequent contact with astronaut Leroy Chiao, commander of the International Space Station (ISS) and for much of the time, Chiao was Whitworth’s nearest neighbor when the ISS orbit crossed her track.
When Whitworth arrived in the UK,
Berrimilla
competed in the 2005 Rolex Fastnet Race, finishing 11th
overall and second in the double-handed division. After the Fastnet, Berrimilla
returned to
Sydney
(Australia) via the
Cape of Good Hope, arriving just in time to sail in the 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race.
The second circumnavigation began in 2008 when, as a result of
Berrimilla’s
encounter with the ISS, Whitworth was invited by NASA scientists to rendezvous at
Beechy
Island
in the Canadian Arctic. The plan was to view the solar eclipse on August 1, 2008, so Whitworth set out on April 10, 2008, sailing directly from Sydney to the Aleutians (Alaska) and then through
the Northwest Passage.
Due to dangerous ice conditions,
Berrimilla
bypassed
Beechey
Island
ad arrived in Falmouth (UK) in September. That winter, the boat was stored in the
UK
and then competed in the 2009 Rolex Fastnet Race. After the race,
Berrimilla
sailed home to
Australia
via the Cape of Good Hope and the Kerguelen Islands and arrived in
Sydney
on March 2010 having completed her second circumnavigation of the globe.
ABOUT THE CRUISING CLUB OF
AMERICA
The Cruising Club of America is dedicated to offshore cruising, voyaging and the “adventurous use of the sea” through efforts to improve seamanship, the design of seaworthy yachts, safe yachting procedures and environmental awareness.
Now in its 90th year, the club has 11 stations throughout the
US,
Canada
and
Bermuda, with approximately 1200 members who are qualified by their experience in offshore passagemaking.
In even-numbered years, the CCA organizes the
Newport
to Bermuda Race in conjunction with the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club.
Through the club’s Bonnell Cove Foundation, grants are made to 501 C3 organisations for safety at sea and environment of the sea projects.
For more information, go to
www.cruisingclub.org
Photo: The Cruising Club of America has selected Australian Alex Whitworth to receive the honorary 2010 Blue Water Medal for a circumnavigation of the world via the Northwest Passage West to East. (Photo by Steve Withnall)