Storms Ahead : America’s Cup champion to Paralympian

Storms Ahead – Rick Dodson: America’s Cup champion to Paralympian

As a professional sailor, Rick Dodson thought he was invincible, but after 1997 he was sailing with a secret. When it finally took effect, he campaigned for the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games in a race against his own disease. An inspiring story of friendship and determination.

Rick Dodson is widely regarded as one of New Zealand’s most outstanding sailing talents – a multiple national and world champion and America’s Cup winner before multiple sclerosis left him debilitated.

In a new book, yachting journalist Rebecca Hayter tells Dodson’s inspiring story of adaptation, determination and relentless optimism. Storms Ahead – Rick Dodson: America’s Cup champion to Paralympian is a candid report of the challenges for Dodson, and his family and friends who support him in living independently and to achieve his goal of a book about his life before and after MS.

Rick Dodson played his life the same way he won races, by looking ahead. It won him two world championships in the OK dinghy, national championships and victories in some of New Zealand sailing’s greatest moments. For more than 25 years, Dodson was a co-owner of North Sails NZ Ltd on its rise to the top of world sailing technology.

With Dodson’s memory impacted by MS, the book has considerable support from his contemporaries. Sir Russell Coutts, Murray Jones, Joey Allen, Don Cowie, Matt Mason and Jeremy Scantlebury contributed in-depth interviews, recalling the glory years of the 1980s and the high-rolling success of the America’s Cup as they share one of the great stories of mateship in New Zealand sailing.

But during the 1995 campaign, as Dodson looked for the top mark, he occasionally saw double. Within two years he was diagnosed with MS. His initial strategy was simple: keep the MS secret.

He had another decade at the top of his game before MS took him out of professional sailing.

Author : Rebecca Hayter

Paperback : 224 pages

SKU : P8362