Alan Bond, or Bondy, as he was universally known to sailors, was a man who let nothing stand in his way. From his early competitive sailing on the Swan river to the beginnings of his international challenges, he was a fierce, outspoken competitor and to say that he mellowed would be a massive overstatement.
Only Bondy could front up to the elite of the New York Yacht Club with a canary yellow challenger for the America’s Cup, as he did in 1974 with Southern Cross, and then exploit the accepted nationality rule three years later when he introduced a Californian match-racing tactician into the crew of Australia, and had the New Yorkers running wild.
His final challenge for the cup further exploited the rules and in doing so with Australia II, Bondy broke a 132-year stranglehold – the longest tenure in sporting history – to take the America’s Cup home with him to Fremantle and give rein to a new competition for the oldest continuously contested trophy in sport.
Bondy had more than his fair share of ups and downs in all areas of his life – commercial and personal – but once he had accepted a friend, he never lost them. Throughout the world, Bondy will be sadly missed by his many friends.
