Australian Sailing Team Patrons dinner. Image copyright Craig Heydon.
by Craig Heydon
The Australian Sailing Team is proud to announce that at least 18 Patrons will support its quest towards Gold at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The Australian Sailing Team Patrons are a group of high achieving individuals with a passion and commitment to sailing and Olympic competition, who financially support and provide their wisdom to the Australian Sailing Team athletes campaigning to win Olympic Gold. Their total contribution of over $1m will assist the athletes to meet their competition and living costs, supplementing important Government funding.
The group is led by Australian Sailing Team Patrons Chairman John Calvert-Jones who has worked tirelessly throughout 2010 to bring some of Australia’s most influential individuals to the group.
“It’s an honour to be a Patron of the Australian Sailing Team and to work with and for them as they perfect their skills” said Patron Chairman John Calvert-Jones. “From personal experience I know the rigor and fine-tuning of boat and crew required to compete internationally.”
“Our team has tremendous talent and is fortified by a winning Australian spirit,” said Calvert-Jones. “The team deserves to be well resourced and the generosity of the Patrons will help make that possible. I hope others will join those already on board to do likewise.”
Yachting Australia President Andrew Plympton said that having a group of influential individuals such as the Australian Sailing Team Patrons involved in the team will be very beneficial for this group of athletes as they strive towards Gold at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
“John Calvert-Jones has put in an incredible effort to bring together a group of passionate individuals from a variety of backgrounds who all want to see Australia’s sailors win Gold in London,” said Plympton. “All of the Patrons have made a significant personal financial contribution to be associated with the team and I’d like to thank each one of them for putting their support behind such an amazing group of athletes.”
The Australian Sailing Teams Patrons include; Stephen Ainsworth, Guido Belgiorno-Nettis AM, Marcus Blackmore AM, John Calvert-Jones AM, Syd Fischer OBE, David Gotze, Dr Leslie Green, Martin and Lisa Hill, Simon McKeon, Lachlan Murdoch, Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC, DBE, Bob Oatley, Sandy Oatley, Nigel Peck AM, Paul Ramsay, John Savage, Lang Walker and Nick Williams.
Australian Sailing Team Patrons have spent time with the athletes and will continue to do so in the lead up to the 2012 London Olympic Games. They have special insight into how the team operates and what it takes to win Gold.
John Calvert-Jones says that the objective is to have 20 Patrons for the team and he is confident that will be achieved shortly.
Australian Sailing Team
