John Bertrand

It is 20 years since John Bertrand made the unlikely leap from competitive yachtsman to national hero and international sporting icon when he skippered Australia II to victory in the 1983 America’s Cup, ending 132 years of American supremacy. Since then John has gained a wealth of experience in international business and now devotes much of his time to giving back to the community through the Alannah and Madeline Foundation, a charitable organisation which Princess Mary of Denmark has recently become International Patron.

John Bertrand skippered the winged keel Australia 2 to victory over Dennis Connor’s Liberty to win the 1983 America's Cup, breaking 132 years of American domination and, in the process, breaking the longest-running record in the history of modern sport. The comeback from 3-1 down and the final race victory, billed as the race of the century, was perhaps the greatest upset in modern sports history.
Ask any Australian where he or she was the day that it happened, and they will remember. The Australia 2 team victory was voted by the Confederation of Australian Sport as the greatest team performance in 200 years of Australian sport.
A World Champion and Olympic medallist, John Bertrand represented Australia in five America's Cups and two Olympic Games. In over 25 years of America’s Cup campaigning, he was involved in all areas of activity...from skipper of Australia 2 to Chairman of OneAustralia.
Australia conferred a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) on John in 1985. His biography 'Born to Win" published in 1985, was at the time the largest-selling biography in Australian publishing history.
Together with Herb Elliot and Dawn Fraser, John Bertrand was a member of the 2000 Australian Olympic team acting as a mentor to the team athletes.
John is both a businessman and philanthropist; he is co-owner and Chairman of the television production and distribution company World Wide Entertainment which exports television shows to 120 countries worldwide.
John Bertrand holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from Monash University and a Master of Science degree from MIT in Boston. He is a life member of both the International America's Cup Hall of Fame and Australia’s Sports Hall of Fame. John continues his passion for sailing and actively competes at the highest level within the International Etchell class.