interview
Island Life - June/July 2010
Living not too
wisely but well
By Roz Whistance
Hold tight for the connecting game that is the life of Anthony Churchill:
the lines are very wiggly and very long. They stem from interests and
enthusiasms, ideologies and passions which have been pursued throughout
his life, which have led him to far-flung places and adventures. In Part II
of her look at his life, Roz Whistance finds his interests always round back
upon the Isle of Wight and are celebrated in the company of friends.
AN APPROACH from the Conservative leader,
later prime minister, Edward Heath, had led
“Yes, I initiated and backed the first such
Anthony Churchill to amass a crew for him to
race which I handed over to Whitbread. It’s
pursue an interest in ocean yacht racing. This
now the Volvo Round the World Race,” he
had had unlooked for benefits for Mr Heath,
says. “That had four stops. So why not push
since the crew became like family – even if
out the boat and have a race with only two
they sometimes spent a little too much time
stops?” In 1979 he was working for the
together:
Australian government on a second race,
“Ted was a great Bruckner fan, and once
from Britain to Western Australia: “Western
was in his bunk with his radio balanced on
Australians are very proud that while the
his chest, listening to a concert. This was
East is founded by convicts, the West was
during a race, which was pure sacrilege,
founded by free men, in a ship called the
and it was driving th e crew mad: some were
Parmelia. I was asked to organise a race to
more Beatlemanians than Bruknerians. Yet no
celebrate that.” A third Round the World
crewman dared lean over the sleeping man
Race he organised, the Financial Times
to turn it off.”
Clipper Race, went a step further, having
Ted Heath retired from racing after the
notorious Fastnet race in 1979, when
ferocious storms led to the deaths of many
34
Round the World Yacht Racing.
only one stop. The press claims these three as
the birth of this demanding sport.
Later, itching to scupper the Americans’
yachtsmen. Anthony was not with him on
long victorious run in the America’s Cup,
that race. He had a new bee in his bonnet:-
Anthony financially backed a sail maker, John
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