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Malta Business Review EDITOR'S CHOICE<br />

“Someday…everything will make perfect<br />

sense” Campaign Spotlight on<br />

Organised by <strong>MBR</strong> Publications Ltd<br />

Mr John Ripard<br />

Award-winning sportsman, John Ripard is a force<br />

to be reckoned with. Taking the Ripard Group<br />

which was founded in 1901 to the next level by<br />

marrying it with his passion for the sea, it is for<br />

his success at all things aquatic that John Ripard<br />

became so renowned in his own right.<br />

Without a doubt one of the most prominent<br />

yachtsmen in Malta, Mr Ripard sailed for Malta in<br />

the Snipe Class Category in the 1955 Mediterranean<br />

Games in Barcelona, represented Malta at the<br />

World Underwater Fishing Championship in<br />

Portugal in 1959. In the 1960 Olympic Games John<br />

and his brother Paul represented Malta sailing in<br />

the Star Class.<br />

In early 1968 the idea of creating a true offshore<br />

race was born resulting in the now famous Middle<br />

Sea Race. The first Middle Sea Race started with<br />

8 entries on the 30th November 1968 and 8 days<br />

later JOSIAN with skipper John Ripard and his crew<br />

Mr John Ripard and Mr Malcom R Lowell<br />

crossing the finish line to win inaugural Middle Sea<br />

Race, repeating his second win in 1970 on TIKKA<br />

11.<br />

In 1973, he took part in the ‘Giraglia’ and later<br />

the ‘Campionato d’Inverno’ in Genova winning his<br />

class in both these regattas with ‘Tikka 11’ again.<br />

In 1980, he was elected international judge by<br />

the International Yacht Racing Union. After the<br />

United States of America lost the America’s Cup<br />

to Australia, Mr Ripard was appointed Chairman of<br />

the Race Committee whose responsibility it was to<br />

conduct the over 200 races required to determine<br />

who would race against ‘the Defender’ by winning<br />

the Louis Vuitton Trophy, the preamble to the<br />

1987 America’s Cup for which he was appointed<br />

alternate judge. After this first involvement in the<br />

America’s Cup, Mr Ripard was appointed a member<br />

of the International Juries for the 1988, 1992, and<br />

1995 Cups held in San Diego. Soon to follow was<br />

an appointment to the International Jury of the<br />

sailing events of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, held<br />

in Savannah. These unforgettable experiences<br />

took him all over the globe and in 1992 he was<br />

honoured by receiving Ġieħ ir-Repubblika, the<br />

medal for contributions to the republic.<br />

Following several years as Commodore, today,<br />

he is the president of the Royal Malta Yacht<br />

Club. John Ripard is extremely representative of<br />

all the values which underpin Edwards Lowell's<br />

'Someday’ campaign: he is a man who has<br />

persevered and succeeded. He has capitalised on<br />

the opportunities that have presented themselves<br />

to him thought-out his career. The link between<br />

John Ripard and Edwards Lowell was made even<br />

stronger thanks to the Middle Sea Race which<br />

has become synonymous with the Rolex brand.<br />

Conceived in 1968, the Middle Sea Race was<br />

brought to life thanks to the intrepid spirit of John<br />

Ripard, his brother Paul, Jimmy White and Alan<br />

Green. Their daring spirit has continued to live on<br />

for the last fifty years and it is because of it that the<br />

Rolex Middle Sea Race attracts hundreds of sailors<br />

each year from all parts of the world. His passion<br />

and vision have forged a road for all those who<br />

dare to be bold and think big. <strong>MBR</strong><br />

Mr John Ripard<br />

Mr John Ripard and Mr Malcom R Lowell in conversation<br />

Creditline: Edwards Lowell<br />

48

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