Rolly Tasker

Who was Rolly Tasker?

Rolland "Rolly" Tasker AM was an Australian sailor who won Australia's first Olympic sailing medal, at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. He and Malcolm Scott won a silver medal in their 12m² Sharpie after the New Zealander Peter Mander failed to disqualify himself and Rolly had not officially protested. In 1958 Tasker won the Flying Dutchman World Championship.

From 1969 to 1985 Tasker dominated ocean racing in Western Australia with five sister yachts all called Siska. In the 1978 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, Siska IV was denied official starter status on a technicality. Tasker started five minutes ahead of the fleet and crossed the finish line 20 hours ahead of line honours winner Apollo. He won numerous other ocean racing events in his career including taking line honours and first place in the Queen Victoria Cup off Cowes, England. He took first place in A-division of the disastrous 1979 Fastnet race. In the Parmelia Yacht Race from Plymouth to Fremantle in 1979, he took line honours and the win.

Tasker was inducted into the Western Australian Hall of Champions in 1986 and the Sport Australian Hall of Fame in 1996. He became a Member of the Order of Australia in 2006 for his services to sailing.