Ben Austin
49er World Champion 2008
ISAF World Ranking: 4th
DOB: 16th July 1982
Birthplace: Sydney, NSW, Australia
Club: Woollahra Sailing Club
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Results:
2007 ISAF Sailing 49er World Championship - Bronze
2007 Sydney International Regatta – Gold
2007 Australian 49er National Championships – Gold
2007 Sail Melbourne (ISAF Grade 1) – Gold
2007 Holland Regatta – Silver
2007 Olympic Test Event – 5th
2008 49er World Championship - Gold
2008 Australian 49er National Championships - Gold
2008 Sydney International Regatta – Gold
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Ben's Story:
Ben grew up in Townsville and started cruising on the family yacht up and down the north Queensland coast.
By the age of six Ben’s father saw the sailing potential in his son and bought him an old, Mirror dinghy for a birthday present which kicked off his love of small boat sailing. He started racing at eight years of age in the Mirror class in Victoria and first started to win regattas sailing Flying Juniors in Virginia, USA at the age of 12.
In the lead up to the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Ben was sailing in the Laser class and training for the 2000 Youth Worlds.
“I got to do a lot of sailing with the best in the world and saw first hand the work and dedication needed to be an Olympian. Sailing against the best in the world drove me to work hard and sail a lot, which culminated in winning the 2000 Youth Worlds. I initially continued on planning to contest the position for the 2004 Olympics but was pulled up short by a chronic back injury” he explained.
It took two years to get on top of the back injury “Both physically and mentally it was a hard road.
In the mean time I learned a lot about sailing and boats by sailing 5o5’s, B14s, Sydney 38 and Farr 40 and 18ft Skiffs and spent a lot of time coaching younger sailors. Throughout this time, I always had the aim to return to Olympic level competition in one way or another. In 2004 I returned to the Laser but found my back to still not be 100%. When the opportunity came up to sail a 49er with Nathan Outteridge, it was too good an opportunity to pass up”.
In 2006, Ben and Nathan have made great progress on the international circuit in the 49er class. They were placed 6th at the 49er World Championships in France and more recently they won the 49er class at the Sydney International Regatta.
Outside of sailing the 24 year old is a Physiotherapist, working at the John Hunter Children’s Hospital in Newcastle and living with his wife who is also a physiotherapist at John Hunter Hospital.
“The biggest challenge I believe I face in my whole Olympic campaign is to be successful as a sailor, a physiotherapist and a husband!”.
