There wasn’t a boat Matt Mitchell couldn’t race or a challenge he wasn’t up for. And, say those closest to the America’s Cup star and grassroots sailing champion, no one was spared his good-hearted quips.
Tributes have been pouring in for Mitchell, who passed away in Auckland this week after a brave battle with cancer.
Lifelong friend Craig Satterthwaite said Mitchell will be remembered for his incredible determination.
“Matt and I went to Playcentre, primary school, and high school together, and we sailed many boats. But whether we were doing the America’s Cup or racing around the world on a J Class, a 100ft racing yacht, or an Elliott 5.9, he was always the same – the more intense it got, the more focused Matty became. Even in an absolute fight, he was laser-focused on doing his job,” Satterthwaite said.
Mitchell was a veteran of six America’s Cup campaigns and a winner with three teams – Team New Zealand, Alinghi, and Oracle Team USA.
“He was just a natural yachtie, and he could do anything on the boat,” Satterthwaite said. “He was a bowman in the America’s Cup, a mid-bow, a top Zephyr sailor, and he won a handful of nationals with us on the 5.9.”
Mitchell’s quick wit and infectious energy were equally impressive as his sailing skills.
“He was just so much fun to be around, and I can’t think of a time when he was seriously pissed off or grumpy,” Satterthwaite said.
“Naturally, we could cause a lot of strife together – in a good way! We had a colossal amount of fun, even in the biggest pressure moments. Matty would still be taking the piss with his dry comments as we approached the bottom mark with 400 square metres of spinnaker to drop in five seconds!”
Kiwi America’s Cup great Murray Jones agrees.
“I had a huge amount of respect for Matt because he always kept it real. He had a balanced view on things and wasn’t afraid to say it as it was,” Jones said.
“And no one was off-limits when it came to getting told either. But you always knew that if he said something, it was because he was right.”
Jones recalls one moment during a high-stakes J Class regatta when a race didn’t go to plan.
“I made a mistake and really screwed it up. Matt usually called me ‘Captain’, but that day he said, ‘C’mon, Jones, we’re better than that!’
“That was just how Matt was. He was super competitive – on the boat and off it – he wanted to win. He had an incredible work ethic, was incredibly fit, and was a natural athlete.”
Respected coach and race official Harold Bennett credits Mitchell with reinvigorating the Zephyr class – one of New Zealand’s oldest and most popular adult dinghy fleets.
“He was an inspirational person. He came up through grassroots sailing and hit the big time,” Bennett said. “He touched so many lives, especially in the Zephyrs. He had some very clear ideas about what needed to happen with the boats, and many of those ideas were implemented and remain today. Thanks to him, many high-profile sailors are still sailing the boat.”
Mitchell sold his prized Zephyr, a multiple national championship winner that he had meticulously refurbished, to Bennett’s daughter and family friend, Carla, shortly before his death.
“Matt put a lot of work into the boat, and he was very particular about who he wanted to sell it to,” Bennett said.
“Carla will bring it up to Auckland from Picton for the funeral, which will also be a tribute to Matt’s incredible workmanship.”
Jones visited Mitchell at his Gulf Harbour home just before Christmas.
“I sat with him, and we had a good chat about all sorts of things,” Jones said. “Family was super important to him. He stepped back from competitive sailing to spend more time with Andrea and his boys [Sam and Balin].
“Even though his health had deteriorated by Christmas, he still got out on his launch with the boys, and I know he loved it.”
Satterthwaite remembers the last time he and Mitchell sailed together.
“We did a 5.9 regatta in New Plymouth in the middle of last year – four races in a three-to-four-metre westerly swell in the Tasman Sea. Matty was a tough bastard, and he sailed with us even though you could tell he wasn’t a hundy,” Satterthwaite said.
“That’s the thing with Matt. Once you were with him, you were with him for life. He loved people, and he loved sailing – right till the end.”
Final Farewell
Matt’s final regatta will be held at Royal Akarana Yacht Club on Tuesday, April 1, at 2.00pm, a fitting tribute to a sailor who dedicated his life to the water and the people who shared his passion.
Fair winds and following seas, Matty.
