Latest news with #JohnLongley
ABC News
15-06-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Small team of rowers from Perth represents Australia on world skiffie stage
As dawn breaks in Perth, a small group of rowers launch their boats into the Swan River at the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club. These aren't typical competitive rowing boats. They are 155 kilogram wooden, hand-built coastal rowing boats called St Ayle's skiffs, also known as skiffies. They can be traced back to the 19th century mining communities of the famous Scottish town of Fife. And the rowers aren't your run-of-the-mill athletes — they are Australia's representatives at the World Championships taking part on Scotland's south-west coast in July. "We're now taking 16 rowers over to to Scotland. We are all over 50 and the age range goes up to 79," said Mark Endersby, the club's skiff race director. "This is male, female and mixed. So we've entered teams, crews, for the over 40s, over 50s, over 60s and the 280. "280 is the age group. The combined age of the rowers, so an average age of 70." The decision to compete at the World Championships happened over a cup of coffee after a row one morning, but if it weren't for a chance encounter a decade ago, and the influence of a famous figure in Australian sailing, the club may never have ventured into the sport. John Longley is a huge figure in the sailing world, courtesy of his crucial role in Australia II winning the 1983 America's Cup. He was the campaign's project manager, a crew member, and was instrumental in developing the teams strategy that ultimately led to the famous victory. But long after his success on the global stage, Longley can add the wide adoption of skiffs to his list of achievements. "I'd gone to the Australian Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart in 2013 and while I was there, I literally stumbled across one of these boats that was partly under construction," he said. "I was very taken with it and I realised that the way the whole thing worked was that these boats were built by community for community. "I thought, you know what, this would be something that could really work at Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club." His initial suggestion was met with resistance. "There was a little bit of a 'well, you know, John, we're a sailing club'," Longley recalled. "I pointed out that in the early days of the club, there were more rowing races than there were yacht races and the the club very quickly I thought it was a good idea, and adopted it." The adoption of skiffs — small boats typically propelled by oars — has grown across Western Australia, and boats are built across the South West. The modern incarnation of skiff racing began in 2009, as a way of encouraging coastal Scottish communities to re-engage with the ocean. To take part, clubs purchase a marine plywood kit to build the boats, which must be done by hand. The boats are more than six metres long, have fixed seats, and the oars must be wooden. The Royal Freshwater club has three boats, but won't be taking them to Scotland. They'll be supplied boats for the event. While skiff racing has become a passion for the rowers, its impact goes beyond just getting on the water and keeping fit. Endersby arrived in Australia from England in 2023, and as a new migrant, knew just one person in Perth. "I was suffering from some mental health issues," he said of his decision to move across the world following the COVID pandemic. "It had been a really tough period for everybody, not just myself, and I had the opportunity with the kids going off to university and I thought I needed to look after myself. "I go back to when I first arrived here, and you can be quite lonely in places and that's a common feature of mental health issues." The person he knew invited him to the Royal Freshwater club to get out on the water. He gave it a go, and was drawn to more than the physical aspect of rowing. "It's created the community for me, and that community has has grown and grown and grown." The team is also using the World Championships to raise money for the mental health not-for-profit Youth Focus through its Row for Youth initiative.
Perth Now
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Popular Perth beach to host Sail Grand Prix for first time
Luring the Sail Grand Prix championship west for the first time will give West Australians a once in 40-year chance to rekindle a nostalgic love affair with sailing off Fremantle, according to Americas Cup legend John Longley. The annual championship takes place in major cities across the world including New York and Saint-Tropez and for the next three years, Fremantle as well. 'We are absolutely delighted, I honestly don't think Perth and Fremantle will realise how huge this event is until they see it next year,' Mr Longley told PerthNow. Your local paper, whenever you want it. 'This is a major event and a huge number of eyeballs watch these events, it is going to be fantastic for Fremantle and for Perth. 'It is easily comparable with the Formula One, it will be like the America's Cup revisited.' Called the PerthSail Grand Prix, the new Australian leg will take place over two days with a minimum of three 15-minute races per day and a showdown between the three highest-scoring teams. It is expected SailGP will attract thousands of overseas tourists to WA next January. Spectators will be able to watch the event from a purpose-built grandstand. Australia II crew members John Longley and Skip Lissiman in Fremantle. Credit: Jackson Flindell / The West Australian The event will also return to WA in 2027 and 2028 as part of a three-year deal. SailGP is one of the world's most fast-paced and prestigious sailing events, featuring 50-foot catamarans raced by teams from 12 nations close to the shoreline and at speeds of more than 100km/h. Fremantle mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge heaped praise on Mr Longley, a veteran of five campaigns for the America's Cup including Australia II's breakthrough victory in 1983, and another local legend from the victorious 1983 crew Skip Lissiman, who through the Warren Jones Foundation had lobbied hard for Fremantle's inclusion. 'Fremantle is known around the world as a brilliant sailing destination and sailing is a sport that's close to our hearts,' she said. 'This is an exciting opportunity for the people of Perth to experience world-class, adrenalin-fuelled racing on water. The speeds at which these boats go is mind-blowing. 'We saw the huge crowds that flocked to Sydney Harbour for the SailGP race there earlier this year. If that's anything to go by, the atmosphere at Bathers Beach/Manjaree will be electric.' Mr Longley said the Warren Jones Foundation had always wanted to bring another prestigious event to Fremantle and carry on the port city's sailing legacy. 'SailGP has always been interested in Fremantle but Sydney has had an exclusive deal with them which ended in 2025,' he said. 'To bring a top event to Fremantle has always been our priority, the great advantage of this event is the boats sail right in close, people will almost feel like they can touch them.' Australian Sailing chief executive Ben Houston said WA deserved a chance to watch the Australian SailGP team — which he called the most successful team in the history of the competition — up close. 'It is a fitting reward for Perth. Western Australia has long been a hotbed of Australian sailing talent, with some of our greatest Australian sailors learning their craft on the Swan River and out in the Indian Ocean,' he said. 'We know that the Sydney SailGP event brings in approximately $20 million in economic impact per event, with thousands of visitors attending the two-day race weekend. 'The event broadcast will also see Fremantle beamed into households around the world, as happened with the Sydney event which attracted a dedicated global TV audience of 21.1 million.' Fremantle Sailing Club executive officer Craig Evans said the local sailing community was pumped. 'It's such exciting news. With a very active local sailing community everyone will be thrilled with the announcement,' Mr Evans said. 'SailGP will provide a great opportunity to showcase Fremantle and our pristine coastal waters to the world.'
