chinese whisper yacht

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

Now known as Whisper , David Griffith sailed the JV62 to fifth overall to win Division 2 of the 2019 Rolex Sydney Hobart  as Chinese Whisper , after winning Division 0 in the 2019 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race and taking line honours in the 2019 Flinders Islet and Newcastle Bass Island races. As Whisper , she broke the 2020 Adelaide Port Lincoln record and placed third overall. A new deeper keel, new fin, longer bowsprit and new sails later, Griffith scored the line/overall double in the 2021 Flinders Islet Race, then placed fifth overall in the Bird Island Race. Whisper  won overall honours in the 2021 SOLAS Big Boat Challenge, cementing her Mini Maxi Division win in the inaugural Income Asset Management Australian Maxi Championship. Griffith's crew includes long-time friends - four-time America’s Cup winner Grant Simmer, and Michael Coxon, along with noted British sailor, Rob Greenhalgh.

When he was sole owner, Rupert Henry delivered the JV62 to ninth on line and ninth overall in the 2016 Hobart race. In 2018, he adapted the boat for the 5500nm Melbourne Osaka double-handed race and took line honours, smashing the 1995 record by over five days, the same year the 60-66 footers prevailed in the Rolex Sydney Hobart. Henry had purchased the yacht formerly known as Jethou from Europe and finished fifth overall for first in Division 0 in the 2015 Rolex Sydney Hobart and finished runner-up in the Blue Water Pointscore on countback to Balance after the latter won the Sydney Hobart.

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OFFICIAL ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART MERCHANDISE

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MELBOURNE OSAKA CUP

CHINESE WHISPER

Skipper:Rupert Henry

Co-skipper:greg o'shea, design:judel-vrolijk 62.

Rupert is a life-long sailor who’s first boat was an Optimist Dinghy. As a youngster he raced Optimist, Flying Ant, 420 and 470 with some Australian and International wins. He has competed in 3 Etchells world championships and sails Etchells in the Sydney Fleet. Chinese Whisper is his second Ocean racing yacht. The first yacht was a Sydney 38, Team Lexus in which he campaigned 2 Sydney Hobart Races, including finishing the 2004 Race in which only 27 yachts arrived to Hobart. With Chinese Whisper he won  Division 1 of the 2015 Sydney Hobart Race and in 2017 Chinese Whisper was crowned the Blue-water Ocean Racing Champion by the CYCA. Rupert has extensive short handed cruising experience and it was these experiences that lead to an interest in competing in the Melbourne to Osaka Race. Like many sailors, Greg is also a passionate cyclist. When not part of the ocean racing team on the JV62 Chinese Whisper you will either find him sailing at world class level on their Etchell, crowing for the Roosters rugby league team or nurturing his young family in their sporting endeavours. To qualify for the Melbourne Osaka cup, Greg and Rupert sailed from Sydney and circumnavigated Tasmania, arriving in Melbourne in time for the blessing of the fleet and their start on 1 April.

Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race 2024

Chinese whisper.

After competing in the 2016 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Chinese Whisper and co-owner Rupert Henry took some time off ocean racing before making some major modifications to enable the yacht to be sailed in the double handed 2018 Melbourne to Osaka Yacht Race. This was a very successful endeavor where Chinese Whisper was placed first across all division. 

The yacht is now co-owned by Rupert Henry and new partner David Griffith who are looking forward to getting the grand-prix yacht back out into the Australian ocean racing scene.

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OFFICIAL CYCA - Helly Hansen MERCHANDISE

Shop the official CYCA - Helly Hansen clothing range in person at the Club in New South Head Road, Darling Point or online below.  

From casual to technical clothing, there is something for all occasions. Be quick as stock is limited.

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Chinese Whisper

After competing in the 2016 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race,   Chinese Whisper   and co-owner Rupert Henry took some time off ocean racing before making some major modifications to enable the yacht to be sailed in the double handed 2018 Melbourne to Osaka Yacht Race.  This was a very successful endeavour with   Chinese Whisper  placing first across all division. 

The yacht is now co-owned by Rupert Henry and new partner David Griffith who are looking forward to getting the grand-prix yacht back out into the Australian ocean racing scene.  A successful Noakes Sydney Gold Yacht Race this year saw   Chinese Whisper  achieve 3rd in Line Honours in a close finish with   Naval Group   and   No Limit , and 1st in IRC Division 0.

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1986: Rupert in white shirt with his crew Matthew Cliffe having just won the Flying Ant Nationals In 'No excuse' which had been built by dad

From Optimist to Chinese Whisper – has Henry got the goods?

With such a star-studded top end for this year's race to Hobart, it is easy to overlook some boats. But one yacht popped up on everyone's radar at the recent Big Boat Series – Chinese Whisper.

Owner Rupert Henry has actually completed two previous Hobart's aboard his Sydney 38 Team Lexus (2003, 2004). On top of all that is the long family history of sailing that has led to salt water in his veins.

According to Henry's mother, Jill, “he is very prepared with a very good crew.”

In fact, Rupert started sailing before he even started breathing. Jill Henry was pregnant when she went sailing with husband David on board their Endeavour 24. But she agrees that the revamped 'Jethou' is “the most incredible machine I have ever seen!”

Jill and husband David have just completed their own amazing sailing story. In November they sailed their Buizen 48 back in to Sydney Harbour after completing a ten-year cruising circumnavigation on board. Both are looking forward to seeing their eldest son do well in this year's race but “being a mother I worry for the 18 crew.”

She need not worry too much, Chinese Whisper's crew consists of half with multi-Hobart's under their belts. Also on the crew are two well-known ocean racers: Paul Westlake and Carl Crawfoord, along with double figure racers Braidwood, Hunt and Merrington.

After 'crewing' on board the Endeavour, Henry began his personal sailing career on his Optimist when the Henry family were living in the United States. He won the national under-11 titles. Back in Australia he began sailing, as do so many champion sailors, out of Northbridge in Flying Ants. His own son, Otto is now also starting a career in Optimists.

Progressing on to 420's, Rupert with Chris Meehan as crew won the pre-Worlds in Israel in the early 90s. Plans to campaign a 470 for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics were shelved as the two young men graduated and decided to work on their careers.Chris went on to form Bell Propery Group and Rupert began working with his father's steel fabrication business after graduating as an engineer at UNSW. The sailing bug remained, however, lying not far from the surface.

A Sydney 38 was purchased and campaigned as Team Lexus in both the 2003 and 2004 Hobarts with father David as navigator. Soon after, parents David and Jill purchased their Buizen 48 (hull #16) and began the ten-year circumnavigation.

They started with a circumnavigation of Tasmania, then Australia and then on to South East Asia. A crossing of the Indian Ocean included an encounter with pirates when crossing from Oman to Yemen that was saved when a UK warship appeared over the horizon. From there they transitted the Suez Canal and cruised the Meditteranean for seven years with alternate 6 monthly visits between Australia. In 2013 they crossed the Atlantic, cruised the Caribbean, transitted the Panama Canal and crossed the Pacific. Entering Sydney Harbour last November, in time to watch the son start in his third Sydney to Hobart with possibly his best chance yet in the Judel/Vrolijk 62.

It was Chinese Whisper's first place in the Big Boat Series, even after being recalled at the start, that showed this boat not only has speed but also rates well. Both David and Jill, however, are well aware of the vagaries of the Tasman Sea and Bass Strait. “Who knows what the Hobart will throw up,” says Jill.

“Luck plays an enormous role as well.”

And what of the two parents? Are they now settled into a permanent life ashore? “I have itchy feet already,” says Jill ominously.

– Phil Ross

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The current position of WHISPER is at East Australia reported 28 hours ago by AIS. The vessel is sailing at a speed of 0.2 knots. The vessel WHISPER (MMSI 503027520) is a Sailing vessel and currently sailing under the flag of Australia .

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WHISPER current position and history of port calls are received by AIS. Technical specifications, tonnages and management details are derived from VesselFinder database. The data is for informational purposes only and VesselFinder is not responsible for the accuracy and reliability of WHISPER data.

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WASHINGTON – NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg ripped Chinese leaders Monday for publicly claiming to support Ukraine in its war against Russia, but quietly backing Moscow and sending it military supplies .

“China is fueling the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II,” Stoltenberg said during an event at the Wilson Center in DC. “At the same time, it wants to maintain good relations with the West.

“Well, Beijing cannot have it both ways.”

Since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022, China has publicly stated its desire for peace and maintained a publicly neutral position.

As recently as June 3, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning claimed Beijing “values its strategic partnership with Ukraine.”

“Since the full escalation of the Ukraine crisis, China has maintained communication and cooperation with Ukraine,” she said. “China is still Ukraine’s largest trading partner. Our Embassy in Ukraine continues to function normally.”

However, China is also Russia’s largest trading power – a position that has been solidified after dozens of countries around the world sanctioned exports and imports to and from Russia.

While China claims it has not sent Russia any weapons for use in Ukraine, US officials say Beijing has rendered the distinction meaningless by supplying Moscow critical technological components for war.

“Publicly, [Chinese] President Xi [Jinping] has tried to create the impression that he’s taking a back seat in this conflict to avoid sanctions and keep trade flowing,” Stoltenberg said Monday.

Beijing has also sent material that is used in the production of weapons, including “missiles, tanks [and] aircraft,” according to the NATO chief.

“Beijing is sharing high-end technologies, like semiconductors or dual-use items. Last year, Russia imported 90% of its microelectronics from China,” he said. “China is also working to provide Russia with improved supplied capability and imagery.

“All of this enables much death and destruction on Ukraine, bolsters Russia’s defense industrial base and evades the impact of sanctions and export controls.”

The US has taken notice, sanctioning seven China-based companies last week for shipping millions of dollars worth of material to Russia, including items which could be used in weapons systems.

“This idea that we can distinguish between the threats we see in Europe posed by Russia and the threats and the challenges of Xi in the Asia-Pacific posed by China – that we can separate those is wrong,” Stoltenberg said. “Our security is global, not regional, and that’s very clearly demonstrated in Ukraine.”

China has said it respects Ukraine’s territorial integrity – an argument Beijing uses to justify its illegal claims on large swaths of land in the South China Sea, including Taiwan.

However, China has neither pushed Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin to return Crimea to Ukraine nor implored his proxies to restore the eastern Donbas region to Kyiv.

China has also made other pro-Moscow moves, including pushing a controversial peace plan last year that would have seen Ukraine submit to Russian demands with little gained in return.

The US decried the mooted truce, with National Security Council spokesman John Kirby saying that while a peace plan “may sound good … any proposals from [China] … would be one-sided and reflect only the Russian perspective.”

This past weekend, China snubbed a peace summit held in Lucerne, Switzerland that was attended by representatives of more than 100 nations and international organizations.

Beijing declined an invitation after learning that Moscow would not be represented.

“China has repeatedly stressed that the international peace conference needs to meet the three important elements – namely, recognition from both Russia and Ukraine , equal participation of all parties and fair discussion of all peace plans,” Mao said. “As far as China is concerned, the meeting does not yet seem to meet these three elements and that is exactly why China would not be able to take part in the meeting.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told summit attendees Saturday that he hoped Russia – and by extension, China – would attend the next iteration of the event.

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

Chinese Whisper

Rupert Henry purchased Jethou from Europe in time for the 2015 Sydney Gold Coast race, renamed her Chinese Whisper and finished second on line and second overall, then fifth on line and fifth overall for first in Division 0 in the 2015 Hobart. Despite this great result, lost the BWPS on countback to Balance, when Balance won the Hobart. On finishing fourth overall and winning Division 0 in the 2016 Sydney Gold Coast race, the JV62 was second on line and won the Flinders Islet Race, then finished second on line and second overall in the Newcastle Bass Island Race. Plenty of upwind sailing will keep her happy and she is highly rated to win the 2016 Rolex Sydney Hobart. As Jethou, won the Maxi division at 2012 Palma Vela, and secured victories at Copa del Rey, Les Voiles de St. Tropez, Maxi Rolex Worlds and Giraglia Rolex Cup. Following December’s Bird Island Race, she was leading the BWPS by four points to Ichi Ban and is highly rated to win the Rolex Sydney Hobart.  

Competitor Details

OFFICIAL ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART MERCHANDISE

Shop the official clothing range of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in person at the Club in New South Head Road, Darling Point or online below.  

From casual to technical clothing, there is something for all occasions. Be quick as stock is limited!