Well known expatriate Tasmanian yachtsman Roger Hickman has been elected President of Yachting New South Wales, the peak administrative body for sailing in that State. His election follows a distinguished career in yachting, including two Sydney Hobart Race overall wins, and long service as a director and flag officer of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and a director and vice-president of YNSW. 

Although based for many years in Sydney after ‘coming ashore’ as a captain in the merchant marine, Hickman is an avid supporter of Tasmanian yachting. He has been a member of the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania since 1971 and has competed in, and won several, of the club’s Sailing South Race Week regattas – and plans to be back again in January 2009! 

“I’m a ‘perennial’ member of the RYCT,  my father nominated me when he was Commodore – and I still call Tasmania home,” said Hickman who this week is helming the Corby 49 Audi Centre Melbourne in the 2008 Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week in the Whitsunday Islands of Far North Queensland. 

“As a teenager in Hobart I sailed International Cadets with Sandy Bay Sailing Club and 12ft Cadets with the RYCT,” he recalled today. Hickman has won two Sydney Hobarts, in 1993 with Wild Oats, a Farr 43 which he still owns, and as sailing master on Ausmaid, a Farr 47, in 2000. He has competed in every Sailing South Regatta since its inception, with wins in Bumblebee 5 and Ichi Ban.

“It’s a big family affair with most of the crew having relatives in Hobart,” he added. For the 2009 Regatta Hickman will be sailing master aboard the yet-to-be launched new Limit, a Reichel/Pugh 63 being built for West Australian yachtsman Alan Brierty. “Mornington boat-builder Mal Hart is building the boat, a state-of-the-art but conventional ocean racer which is due for launching in early November,” Hickman said. “We will have a few races in Melbourne, then bring her up to Sydney for the Big Boat Series,  the Rolex Trophy and the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and then, in early January, the King of the Derwent and Sailing South Regatta,” he added. 

Speaking of his role as President of Yachting NSW, Hickman said he was honoured to be chosen to head the organisation as the sport of sailing continued to move forward in all areas. 

“While I am representing clubs in NSW,  there is always part of my Tasmanian upbringing and involvement in sailing there that influences my thinking on a national scale,” he added. “In particular, this has involved my chairmanship of YNSW’s special regulations committee that develops sailing safety for all sailing classes, from off-the-beach dinghies to ocean racers.”