Ocean Racer of the Year (The White Family Shenandoah Perpetual Trophy) 2016 awarded to Laurie Ford, skipper and owner of Spirit of Downunder.

The ORCV was pleased to announce Laurie Ford as winner of the 2016 Ocean Racer of the Year.  Laurie was nominated for the award by his crew and was unanimously endorsed by the judges as a fitting and deserving winner of the prestigious award.  Laurie demonstrates values the ORCV promote and admire including; diligence as a skipper, a focus on safety, a willingness to train/mentor people new to the sport, a willingness to change and improve, a fierce and consistent competitor, a sense of humour and most importantly an admired and respected person.  His crew insisted that Laurie’s on board cooking skills not be held against him, something the judges were willing to overlook.

Laurie will be once again heading to Hobart this summer in his well known yacht “Spirit of Downunder” and has already entered the 2018 Melbourne to Osaka with his son Tim. 

We wish Laurie many more years of racing and congratulate him and his family for their support over the years.