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Forum Index: DISCUSSION: Dock Talk: EIGHT BELLS - B.W. “Jordy” Walker

The Publisher ***** Dec 13, 2010, 1:05 PM Post #1 of 6 (2701 views) Shortcut EIGHT BELLS - B.W. “Jordy” Walker Log-In to Post/Reply B.W. “Jordy” Walker, founder of the Bermuda Sailing Association, former Olympic sailor and ex-Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Commodore, died on Saturday after a nine-month battle with throat cancer. He was aged 71. One of the most prominent figures in the history of local sailing, Walker competed at the 1972 Olympics in Munich and was a team manager for Bermuda at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. He also made a tremendous contribution to international sailing and was a founding director, and later twice president and secretary, of the World Match Racing Association. Walker was responsible for the design and building of fitted dinghies Spirit and Bloodhound and revamped the format of the King Edward VII Gold Cup, which included moving the racing from the Great Sound into the spectator friendly Hamilton Harbour. By introducing the Onion Patch Series, Walker revitalized the Newport to Bermuda Race and was instrumental in helping rebuild the International One Design (IOD) fleet and was president of that class until he died. The longest serving member of Bermuda’s Olympic Association, Walker had also been on the Sports Hall of Fame Committee since its inception. His son Blythe, one of the Island’s top sailors, said the family had been “astounded” by the reams of letters they had received over the past few months from people whom Walker had helped mentor. “Jordy’s passion for sailing was legendary,” he said. “As Commodore of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club he brushed aside all of the age old traditions of the ‘men only’ club and invited women and people of all backgrounds to join. “The number of letters we have received over the past months has astounded us, he mentored so many people either through sailing or architecture He introduced so many people to the sport of sailing.” Blythe described his father as a ‘man of integrity who inspired people to heights they did not think they could reach’ He said the Bahá’í Faith had also played an important role in his father’s life. “The other important part of his life was his relationship with the Bahá’í community He became a Bahá’í in 1977 which really helped focus his life on service and led to his desire to help so many.” Walker’s wife, Mary, said a real passion of her husband’s had been developing young sailors on the Island from all backgrounds. “He revamped the Bermuda Yachting Association, a pre-curser to the Bermuda Sailing Association, because he was very concerned that the youth were not getting sufficient attention to make them really good sailors,” she said. “He brought an executive director (Chuck Milligan) here to really focus on the youth and that’s why we’ve had a lot more youngsters going to the Olympics and youth regattas. “He really supported the Island’s youth”

The Publisher ***** Dec 13, 2010, 1:09 PM Post #2 of 6 (2700 views) Shortcut Re: [The Publisher] EIGHT BELLS - B.W. “Jordy” Walker [In reply to] Log-In to Post/Reply Jordy Walker, Match Race legend, passes in Bermuda by Brian BillIngs on behalf of the executive of the MRA Jordy Walker receives the 2008 Llew Gibbons Trophy for outstanding effort and service to the sport of sailing in Bermuda. It is with deep sadness that the Match Racing Association have been informed of the passing of B. W. "Jordy" Walker of Bermuda. Three of his Match Racing disciples (Ted Weisberg of NY, Scott MacLeod of London and Brian W. Billings of Bermuda) were at his bedside shortly before his passing and we were able to see his sparkling blues eyes and smile as we told match racing stories that we shared over 25 years of involvement of the sport that Jordy loved. Jordy was one of the founding fathers of the World match Racing Association now know as the Match Racing Association (MRA), founded in 1985 as a California company. He was the force behind having the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club (RBYC) reorganize the Gold Cup from an amateur invitational event to a world class professional skipper event with prize money. Jordy not only ensured the boats for the event (IOD's, mainly his) but also put up the seed money to make the initial event take place. The RBYC then became one of the founding members of the MRA as a result of Jordy's push. Jordy brought the first professional team (Scott MacLeod) to organize a match racing event in Bermuda, with sponsors, which pointed the way for other events to follow. Under Jordy and Scott's direction they brought the MRA championship to Bermuda in 1991 and also under their direction numerous innovative events took place, like starboard mark roundings, on water umpires, on shore viewing etc., all of which were not only picked up by other events but also incorporated by the America's Cup. Jordy was one of the original Directors of the MRA and became president (twice) and until his untimely death, Secretary. Jordy was also instrumental in ensuring that the MRA be incorporated in Bermuda, which it still is. In summary, I think Ted Weisberg said it all by stating, "Jordy had an unwavering vision for the MRA and its mission. So much of what Match Racing is today is a byproduct of his vision. He was such a big part of the program from the very beginning. He was always there for the sport and the MRA and its member events through thick and thin. He was the compass of the MRA and most importantly the most wonderful person and we all feel that it was truly a privilege to be his friend." The Match Racing Association sends its sincere condolences to Mary, his loving wife, son Blythe, daughters Samantha and Elizabeth and their respective spouses and his grandchildren.

The Publisher ***** Dec 13, 2010, 1:12 PM Post #3 of 6 (2699 views) Shortcut Re: [The Publisher] EIGHT BELLS - B.W. “Jordy” Walker [In reply to] Log-In to Post/Reply One of the truly unsung heroes of our sport died this past weekend. B.W. Jordy Walker passed away after a hard fought battle with cancer. If there is anyone who epitomized “giving back “ to the sport it was Jordy. In his quiet, behind the scene style he was instrumental in most of the sailing activity in Bermuda, but more importantly, he was truly one of the Fathers of the sport of match racing and its growth around the world. Jordy was one of the five founding members of the World Match Racing Association in 1988 and helped create and start the World Match Racing Championships in that same year. He was President of the World Match Racing Association twice and oversaw tremendous growth and change in the sport. I was privileged to meet Jordy by chance in 1988, where we discussed an idea of taking the King Edward VII Gold Cup in Bermuda to the next level, making it one of the top trophys and events in the sport by bringing in top prize money, television on ESPN, sponsors and spectators to Hamilton Harbour. He put his own money behind the plan with an interest-free loan to the club, and me, to create this event. He also took a lot of flak from people who thought that racing the event in Hamilton Harbour close to shoreside spectators wasn’t “proper yachting”. However, the event was a great success, offering top prize money to the best sailors in the world and with great sponsors like Omega, Brut, Renaissance Reinsurance, Colorcraft, and ACE Group to name a few. More importantly the Gold Cup became the gateway for the up and coming sailor to get on to the circuit and make a name for themselves through the innovative format. Names like Baird, Holmberg, Gilmour, Coutts and Spithill all came through this event to go on to greater achievements within the sport. More importantly, he did this all as a volunteer. He wasn’t paid to travel around the world to these meetings, he never asked for anything, motivated only by what he thought it would bring to future generations of sailors around the world. Match racing would not be where it is today without the tireless and unsung work of Jordy Walker. Most, if not all, of the top professional sailors who made their way through the match racing system and specifically the Gold Cup in Bermuda, owe a huge amount of gratitude to this person who, with tremendous class and grace, quietly gave of himself back to the sport. He will be greatly missed. Thanks, Scott Scott MacLeod Force10 Marketing

The Publisher ***** Dec 13, 2010, 1:48 PM Post #4 of 6 (2697 views) Shortcut Re: [The Publisher] EIGHT BELLS - B.W. “Jordy” Walker [In reply to] Log-In to Post/Reply A memorial service celebrating the life of Jordy Walker will be held on Thursday, December 16th at 3pm at Hamilton City Hall. In lieu of flowers his family would appreciate contributions in his name to: Bermuda Sailing Assoc. P.O. Box HM1418 Hamilton HMFX Bermuda

sss_sailing * Dec 14, 2010, 8:23 AM Post #5 of 6 (2584 views) Shortcut Re: [The Publisher] EIGHT BELLS - B.W. �Jordy� Walker [In reply to] Log-In to Post/Reply For any one who would like to sign Jordy's online guest book, you can go to this link http://www.legacy.com/...7109072&cid=view Jeff Arnst, fellow IOD sailor

The Publisher ***** Dec 14, 2010, 11:05 AM Post #6 of 6 (2561 views) Shortcut Re: [The Publisher] EIGHT BELLS - B.W. “Jordy” Walker [In reply to] Log-In to Post/Reply From Bill Lynn, Atlantis WeatherGear: Jordy Walker was a class act. His fellow World Match Racing Association founders are terrific guys, but the fact is that the World Tour wouldn't be what it is today if he hadn't bought into - and shared - Scott & Ben's vision for a tournament-style Gold Cup.

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