John Ripard Snr, a shipping entrepreneur, sailor and former Olympian, has passed away aged 96.

The news was announced by the Royal Malta Yacht Club, where Mr Ripard served as Honorary President.

“A visionary sailor, an Olympian, and one of the founding figures of the Rolex Middle Sea Race, John has left an indelible mark on Malta’s maritime heritage,” the RMYC said.

“His passion for the sea, his leadership, and his generous spirit inspired generations of sailors to take to the water.”

“The RMYC family is forever grateful for his decades of contribution to our club and to sailing in Malta. His legacy will continue to guide us. Our thoughts are with John’s family and loved ones at this time.”

Mr Ripard was the chairman of John Ripard & Son (Shipping) Ltd, one of Malta’s oldest shipping companies and the first Maltese ship agent to introduce containerisation.

He was the grandson of the original John Ripard, who established the business in 1901.

Beyond shipping, Mr Ripard played a key role in Maltese sailing. He was one of the founding figures of the Rolex Middle Sea Race and won is inaugural edition back in 1968.

Together with his brother Paul Ripard, he represented Malta at the 1960 Rome Olympics in sailing. He later went on to serve as an international sailing judge at several major competitions, including the 1996 Summer Olympics.

We offer our condolences to Mr Ripard’s family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time.