News Archive
GER O'ROURKE
Ger O’Rourke is 44 years of age and is currently based in Limerick where he is CEO of the Chieftain Group, a large building and property development company. He took up sailing in 1992 and since then has raced 15,000 miles.
Ger is the owner and skipper of yacht Chieftain which is a high tech Cookson 50 designed by world famous designer Bruce Farr and built by Cookson Boatyard in New Zealand. The boat is built out of carbon fibre and is incredibly light for its size. It is fitted with groundbreaking Canting keel technology, which gives the boat a quantum leap in performance.
On Chieftain the team had some amazing successes in 2006 with first place positions in seven major international events:
1st 700 Mile Rolex Sydney Hobart
2nd Red Funnell Race Cowes
1st Cowes – LeHarve Cervantes Trophy
1st LeHarve – Cowes
3rd Cowes – Cherbourg De Guingand Bowl
1st Cowes – Dieppe France Myth of Malham
1st BMW Around Ireland
2nd Cork Week
1st Seven Star Around Briton & Ireland
1st Cowes to Casicis
We interviewed Ger to get a feel for how he got a taste for sailing and what drives him to continue his strive for success. We also take a look forward to what 2007 has is store and his ambitions for the future.
What is your home town? LIMERICK
You began sailing as an adult, how were you introduced to the sport? Delivering, cruising, racing as crew on Class 2 keel boats before stepping down to getting wet and sometimes rescued in lasers to accelerate steep learning curve. I’m still learning today.
Summary of your sailing experience: Lasers, cat’s, shamrocks keel boat, Mum 30, X36, Beneteau 38foot & 40.7, an RS K6 19 foot. Project Manger for the build of the Cookson 50 where we modified the standard foils to include a manual lifting canard and removed a hydraulic aft keel mounted trim tab which needed a new keel fin. Other modifications were in some layouts, rigging and weight. I just bought a SB3 that I’m collecting tomorrow.
Are you a club member? Yes in Western Yacht Club
What do you like about that club? Nice people, Kilrush & west of Ireland are great racing grounds
Did you do any ISA training courses? All the levels up to & including Yacht Masters Offshore, also did Medical First Aid, Sea Survival, Radio officer and diver.
What was your first boat? A Beneteau 38 foot
What was your favourite boat and why? Cookson 50 for fast fun
Who are your sailing hero’s and why? Russell Coutts top of match racing for approx 5 years, Mike Sanderson solid job as skipper as of ABN winner last Volvo around the world race. The Vendee Globe sailors are all hero’s in my book for the huge efforts, skill, balls.
What is your best ever result? Winning class in Sydney Hobart
What result gave you the most satisfaction? 5th. in Hamilton Island in Aug 2005 as it was my first regatta with hobbled together crew.
What is the single most important piece of sailing advice you could give to a young sailor? Sail as long as possible on one class dinghy, large fleets, max hrs on the water, learn how to sail, trim, rules, tune rig, tides and weather, prior to long term large team keel boat campaigning.
What are your other hobbies and interests? My wife asked me to choose between Golf & sailing – Rest of my time is with the Family, 3 great kids & the best understanding wife and business.
What are you going on to next, 2007 and beyond? We are doing Key West, Miami and Antigua. After that the next move is either The NY – Hamburg and Fasnett OR The Transpac from Los Angeles to Honolulu.