Hall of Fame honour for Walpole sailor who was part of Australia’s winning 2000 Paralympic sonar crew

Walpole’s Jamie Dunross says his induction into the Australian Sailing Hall of Fame will take some time to sink in. Dunross and his fellow members of the Sydney 2000 Paralympic sonar class crew, Noel Robins and Graeme Martin, were announced among five 2020 inductees into the Australian Hall of Fame on Tuesday. The crew created history back in 2000 when they won the Sydney Paralympic Regatta to claim gold in the three-man sonar class. It was the first time sailing had been included on the Paralympic program as a medal sport. Exactly 20 years on from that breakthrough moment, Dunross and his teammates are now further entrenched in Australian Sailing history. Dunross became a quadriplegic after an explosion at a goldmine in Kalgoorlie. After the Paralympics, he became the first person with quadriplegia to circumnavigate Australia unassisted in 2010. Now living and working in Walpole, Dunross said his induction into the Hall of Fame was extremely humbling. “I had a call a couple of weeks ago from the chief executive of Sailing Australia to say I’d been nominated and inducted,” Dunross said. “I’m a bit shocked — it was a long time ago. “I’m still riding that bloody wave from 2000 but I’m very honoured. “To be honest, I’m struggling with it a bit because there are so many sailors I grew up admiring as a kid, like John Bertrand who skippered Australia II and was an Australian icon when it came to sailing. “I’m in the Hall of Fame with them — it’s crazy. “With it being the 20-year anniversary since Sydney, all these memories come flooding back, especially of my skipper Noel, who has passed away. “What a unique guy he was, hard on the water but so gentle off it.” Sailing Australia is sending a plaque or trophy to Dunross as recognition of his achievement. “They are sending me something,” he said. “I don’t have any of my (sailing) stuff up at home. I’m pretty embarrassed to have it up but I think I’ll have to put this one up.” Dunross says work and other commitments have prevented him from sailing much in recent times. “In the last couple of years I’ve been too busy farming and selling real estate,” he said. “I’ve still got a yacht here in Walpole and plan on getting it in the water for next year’s regatta. “I’m keen to get out there and sail with a couple of crewmates, Rob Cridge and Frank Gaudin, who I last competed with at the world titles. “We were challenging ourselves to go to the Paralympics and were right on track when they said they are not having sailing at the Paralympics anymore.”