KNYSNA NEWS - Bruce McCurrach was born in Durban in 1937 and passed away in Knysna on 8 August this year. Bruce’s life was punctuated by yacht racing and it was no surprise that all of the Point, the Royal Natal, and the Knysna yacht clubs flew their burgees at half-mast on the morning of Thursday 9 August.
A celebration of Bruce’s life was held at Knysna Yacht Club (KYC) on Saturday 18 August. SA Sailing president Philip Baum travelled to KYC to present a tribute to Bruce. He explained that he knew Bruce from when he, Philip, was a junior and Bruce was at his yacht-racing peak, and how they became close friends over the years.
Philip spoke further of how Bruce won the SA Trials to race the Finn at the 1960s Olympics, and Philip almost scoffed at the decision to send an older sailor as Bruce was thought to be too young. “Bruce never complained, he simply travelled back to Europe the next year, 1961, and beat the rest of the world at the International Kieler Woche Regatta in Germany.”
The stuff of legends
It is sailing folklore how a young Durbanite, dressed in a rugby jersey and shorts, sailed away from the fleet in the cold Baltic Sea.
Philip spoke of Bruce again winning the Olympic trials in 1964, and missing out on the Olympics because of political reasons. He described how Bruce's sailing was at an incredibly high level “and had he sailed these Olympics, SA may have won their first yacht-racing gold medal”.
Nevertheless, besides many other victories, Bruce teamed up with four-times Olympic gold medalist Paul Elvstrom, and with the Dane and Hans Fogh of Canada, they won the Soling World Championships off Palm Beach, Australia, in 1974.
Philip mentioned that Bruce returned from overseas as “Romantic Bruce” and in 1977, at the ripe age of 40, married Ada to form a strong partnership that extended a further 41 years. In Durban they managed top-notch sailmaking lofts, and a racing yacht building company. They then took a sabbatical to Skiathos in Greece, then they were off to Ireland to manage and coach one of the Irish Admiral Cup yachts. They returned to Durban and Bruce ran a construction company, mainly dealing with insurance claims.
Last years in Knysna
In 2007, Bruce and Ada moved to Knysna, and KYC was quick to ask Bruce to manage the KYC Lipton Cup Challenge in 2010. It was a successful campaign, and Bruce carried the Lipton Cup trophy aloft as he walked, with Ada, into the KYC centenary dinner. Bruce and Aida have been living in Hunters Estate for the past eight years, with a view over Ashmead Channel.
Clinton Johns, of Cape Town, paid tribute to Bruce as “a true icon of sportsmanship”. As a sportsman, Bruce stood taller than all. Rick Nankin, a top sailor from Cape Town, described how, many years ago, as a teenager he was lent a Finn to race the Finn Nationals at Zeekoevlei. As is quite common, an older Springbok yachtsman was trying to put the young Rick "in his place" by telling him what he could and could not do on the water. Bruce simply came up to the youngster and told him that he was perfectly entitled to race fairly, should not succumb to bullying, and gave Rick some worthwhile coaching on racing Finns.
Rick stated, “Bruce would stand up for you.” Rick also spoke of Bruce’s great sense of humour.
It is this fair play that defines the true nature of Bruce McCurrach. As mentioned by Philip Baum, “the stature of his towering presence comes from his competitive success, always underscored by scrupulous fair play and sportsmanship. Bruce truly walks in the Hall of Fame of sailing in South Africa. ”
We salute you Bruce for showing us true sportsmanship.
Article: Alastair Fraser
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