Jeanine Treharne, champion yachtswoman in her own right, multi-media yachting personality and spouse of Hugh Treharne, the Tactician on 'Australia II' that won the America's Cup in 1983, spoke to the Australian Missionary News IPTV.
This interview with Jeanine Treharne can be viewed on the Australian Missionary News IPTV on www.tv.bushorchestra.com or www.safeworlds.net
In answer to Missionary News IPTV anchorman Mark Tronson's first question about her yachting heritage, Jeanine Treharne explained that she grew up in a yachting family, the Wilmots, and naturally followed her eldest brother into the sport. Both men and women of the Wilmot family are aristocrats in the yachting world.
They have won World Championships, Olympic Gold Medals (including at Beijing), and many other awards. Janine's sister was the first woman to win a world championship against men. Her own cabinet is full of Australian and International trophies.
Janine's marriage to Hugh Treharne, with an equally distinguished heritage, was the yachting wedding of the 20th century.
In 1983, the yacht 'Australia II' won the America's Cup, beating the American yacht 'Liberty' skippered by Dennis Connor, by four races to three. The nation came to a standstill. A holiday was announced by the then Prime Minister, Bob Hawke.
The Australians, skippered by John Bertrand, had been 1-3 down and plagued by legal and technical difficulties in the early stages. The whole world was amazed at the skill and bravery of the Australian team, and Jeanine said she met a lot of famous people who visited the team members and were congratulating them on a race well fought .... but Bertrand said they were not giving up on this thing. They hadn't come so far to be beaten 1-3.
Janine's husband Hugh Treharne was the tactician on 'Australia II'. As such, he had the awesome task to smell and sense the wind direction. Standing behind the helmsman who was steering the boat, his job was to watch the waves and feel the tiniest changes in wind movement.
He needed a sixth sense, a willpower to make the boat move as one with the waves and wind, as any wrong move would result in the boat going the wrong way and being out of the race; the two finalists were as close as a hair's breadth, and there is no second place prize in the America's Cup!
The Australians won the next two races in a row, to make it three all. Then another to win the America's Cup.
Jeanine Treharne said that she could not possibly live through another such intensive final month, leading up to that magnificent final race on September 29th, 1983.
Jeanine Treharne no longer races large yachts. Instead, she has made her career as a sports journalist and writer. She realised when she was young that she would need a second string to her bow, that sportsmen and sportswomen cannot keep earning their living from their physical prowess into their middle years.
Mark Tronson asked her what advise would she give young people wanting to get into the media. Jeanine thought that her model was a good one, that she started writing up yachting regattas as a 14 years old and by the time she was 17 she had her own page in the Modern Boating Magazine.
When a cadetship came up at Channel 7 there were 300 applicants and Jeanine said she was able to show them her writing experience, her sailing success and her passion for the media. She got the job. Passion, Jeanine Treharne said the secret ingredient in applying for any position, as it is for playing any sport.
She says also that it is this same passion that encourages young people to seek out the Lord Jesus Christ and serve Him. Jeanine tells young people to embrace the love that God showed to us. It is the Holy Spirit that touches our lives and engulfs us with God's love and passion. God wants a beautiful relationship with us and gave His Son Jesus for our sin.
"If you turn away from the Lord," Jeanine says, "it is like turning your back on a friend who has given you beautiful gift."
She pleads for young people not to cut themselves off from the life that following Jesus can offer. Sadly, she has seen all too many young people fall apart and when this happens, there is nothing to fall back on if they have no faith.
For Jeanine Treharne the Lord has been her anchor throughout her life, in her yachting and media career, in her family and in her marriage.
Dr Mark Tronson - a 4 min video
Chairman – Well-Being Australia
Baptist Minister 45 years
- 1984 - Australian cricket team chaplain 17 years (Ret)
- 2001 - Life After Cricket (18 years Ret)
- 2009 - Olympic Ministry Medal – presented by Carl Lewis
- 2019 - The Gutenberg - (ARPA Christian Media premier award)
Gutenberg video - 2min 14sec
Married to Delma for 45 years with 4 children and 6 grand children