A state funeral to celebrate the life of South Australian Sir James Hardy OBE took place at on Friday 23 June 2023 at St Peter’s College Memorial Hall.
Hosted by the Government of South Australia, the funeral commemorated Sir James’ life, including his key role as part of the first team to defeat the United States in the America's Cup sailing race.
Thank you to those who attended to pay their respects. In lieu of floral tributes, donations were made to the Flinders Foundation and Unisson Disability.
The State Funeral was livestreamed for members of the public who were unable to attend in person.
Watch the recording of the state funeral
About Sir James Hardy
Often referred to as ‘Gentleman Jim’, Sir James Hardy was made an OBE in 1975 and knighted in 1981 for services to sailing and the community.
A dual Olympian who competed in the Tokyo 1964 and Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games, Sir James skippered Australian boats in the 1970, 1974 and 1980 America’s Cup challenges, before playing an integral role in the historic 1983 victory that ended more than a century of American supremacy in the sport.
Inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame, Sir James sailed competitively until late in life, and also served as director of the fledgling Sydney Swans Australian Rules football club.
He also played a major role in the Hardy family company, where he worked from 1953 and had a sparkling wine range named in his honour in the 1980s, helping position the company as a leading Australian wine brand ahead of its sale to Accolade in 2003.
Sir James passed away peacefully in Adelaide on Wednesday 14 June 2023. He is survived by his wife Lady Joan, sister Pamela, and sons David and Richard.