Sir Richard Francis Sutton Medal winners announced

by Herreshoff Marine Museum 21 Apr 2020 20:34 BST

Sir Richard Francis Sutton Medal © Ryoichi Steven Tsuchiya

Maldwin A. C. Drummond OBE DL HON DSc FSA (United Kingdom) (1933-2017) © Herreshoff Marine Museum

Antony H. Matusch (United Kingdom) (b.1940) © Herreshoff Marine Museum

The Herreshoff Marine Museum / America's Cup Hall of Fame will award the Sir Richard Francis Sutton Medal to co-recipients, the late Maldwin Drummond (1933-2017) and Antony Matusch (b.1940), for volunteering thousands of hours of their time to lead the Royal Yacht Squadron's effort to produce the 2001 America's Cup Jubilee, one of the finest moments in yachting history.

The Sir Richard Francis Sutton Medal, instituted by the America's Cup Hall of Fame in 2018, recognizes the spirit of the America's Cup, as set down by the founding donors in their Deed of Gift "to promote friendly competition between foreign countries." It is awarded, from time-to-time, to persons or entities that have exemplified that spirit, in the course of their association with the America's Cup.

The 2001 America's Cup Jubilee achieved what many thought impossible - it remains a once in a lifetime experience for all those who participated. Great endeavours such as this are the work of an international army of people, both acknowledged and unsung. For all of these, seeing the fruition of their efforts during those remarkable days in August 2001 was all the reward they sought.

Bruno Troublé, a member of the America's Cup Hall of Fame Selection Committee who was integrally involved in the planning and execution of the event notes, "The thoughtful planning of the Jubilee by Drummond and Matusch reflects the Royal Yacht Squadron's enduring ethos of sportsmanship, volunteerism, and cordiality."

The presentation of the Sutton Medal was originally intended to take place during the America's Cup Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the INEOS Team UK base in Portsmouth, UK on Tuesday, June 2, 2020. In light of the global health crisis and the subsequent cancellation of the America's Cup World Series event, the 2020 America's Cup Hall of Fame Induction will take place at a later date and location which will be announced once the situation becomes clearer.

Maldwin A. C. Drummond OBE DL HON DSc FSA (United Kingdom) (1933-2017) and Antony H. Matusch (United Kingdom) (b.1940)

In 1993, the photographer Keith Beken asked Maldwin Drummond, then Commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron, what the Squadron would do to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first race for the America's Cup.

Drummond immediately embraced the idea of marking the occasion and he dared to have the vision of a grand regatta. His reach and genius for inclusivity, combined with his infectious enthusiasm, soon brought the Squadron, local authorities, and national sailing associations behind the idea. In 1995, the 2001 America's Cup Jubilee was announced and Drummond was appointed the Chairman of 2001 Limited, the company created to manage the financial aspects of the event and Antony Matusch, then the Squadron's Rear Commodore Yachting, was selected as Chairman of the Regatta Committee.

Matusch, who worked tirelessly on the details of the event, earned praise from Peter Nicholson, the Squadron's Commodore during the Jubilee: "The 2001 regatta, which was such a phenomenal success, would probably not have happened at all had it not been for Antony Matusch. He travelled the world, at his own expense, to persuade clubs, Commodores and owners to come to Cowes. He was the main mover in getting some wonderful sponsorship; he planned pretty well everything and worked day and night for at least two years to get the show on the road."

The America's Cup Jubilee, held over a week in August 2001 at Cowes, attracted 208 yachts from all over the world and many sailors including America's Cup legends such as Olin Stephens, Dennis Conner, John Bertrand, Russell Coutts, Ted Hood, Bill Koch and Bruno Troublé. It was a dazzling week that yachting writer David Glenn concluded, "Nothing like this has been seen before and it will never be seen again." Yachting historian John Rousmaniere regarded the Race Around the Island as "one of the most thrilling I've ever spent on the water...the greatest regatta in history."

The modesty of the Jubilee organizers helped make it the epitome of a friendly competition between foreign countries-living up to the intended spirit of the America's Cup.

America's Cup Hall of Fame Selection Committee