The daughters of Brightlingsea-born sailor, writer and broadcaster Bob Fisher (pictured right), who died in 2021, have travelled to Barcelona to accept his posthumous induction into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame.

Alice Davies and Carolyne Archer, both of whom live in Brightlingsea, attended a glittering ceremony in the city, where the latest America’s Cup competition – between Great Britain and New Zealand– is taking place.

Mrs Davies, the chairman of  of the Royal Yachting Association’s Eastern Region, and Mrs Archer, the current Lady Deputy of the Cinque Port Liberty, also had the opportunity of seeing the British challenger, INEOS Britannia  and meeting some of the crew.

Mr Fisher’s knowledge and love of the event was unrivalled and his two-volume book on the subject – An Absorbing Interest – is considered to be the definitive and authoritative work on the Cup. His interest began as a boy, sparked by the Brightlingsea sailors who skippered and crewed the racing yachts that challenged – but never won – the Cup. He becomes one of four inductees in 2024, and one of only 100 across the history of the Hall of Fame.

At a dinner in Barcelona’s maritime museum, Mrs Davies, told an audience made up of AC sailors and organisers: “Dad was dedicated to the Cup and, by being fortunate enough to be inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame, he will now be amongst those he revered the most.”

For further information of the Hall of Fame, based at the Herreshoff Museum in Bristol, Rhode Island, see https://herreshoff.org/achof/