MBR_ISSUE 46_NOV_DEC_18_LowRes
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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 />
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