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Knowing the rules of racing benefits every sailor, and that’s why Lily Grimshaw would encourage anyone with a passion for the sport to consider taking the next step and getting involved in race officiating.
Grimshaw, a 32-year-old civil engineer and sailor from Wanaka Yacht Club, was one of 17 attendees at the recent World Sailing international judges seminar, held at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron from May 2 to 4. The seminar brought together participants from New Zealand, Australia, Tahiti, the United States, and Britain, including five women.
"I think anyone would benefit from it, honestly, no matter whether you intend to do a lot of race official stuff or not, or just to sail more," Grimshaw said. "Sailing's a lifelong sport, so even if you don't use it right away, chances are you're going to use it in some way."
Grimshaw completed her club judge qualification last year, and her first judging event was Oceanbridge Sail Auckland in March. Already, she's seeing how officiating improves her overall sailing skills. An active ILCA 6 sailor who also coaches 420 teams racing and dabbles in Flying Fifteens, Grimshaw says her judging journey began with a focus on becoming a better coach.
"It was a culmination of a lot of mentoring," she said. "I started out becoming a teams racing umpire as it would help me become a better coach and sailor. Then, [experienced international judge] Jamie Sutherland gave me advice to get into judging as well. We had that club judge course, and I thought, why not - and one thing led to another."
Held under the guidance of Doug Elder, New Zealand’s only World Sailing-recognised international judge instructor and one of the country’s most experienced race officials, the seminar offered intensive learning and global connections.
Elder was one of three World Sailing instructors at the seminar, alongside the Netherlands' Josje Hofland and Gonzalo Heredia of Argentina.
"The course itself was really cool," Grimshaw said. "It was great to meet people not only from New Zealand, some of whom I knew, but also people I didn’t know - from San Francisco, Singapore, Sydney, Tahiti. It was also the first time I really learned about things like [Racing Rules of Sailing] Appendix P and on-the-water Rule 42 enforcement - I’d never been at a regatta where that happened before."
Grimshaw is keen to become more involved in race officiating in the future. "Free time is very limited at the moment, but in the future, I definitely will look at giving back more as a race official. For now, it's coaching, sailing, and occasionally umpiring and judging, and seeing where that takes me."
Also attending the seminar was Louis Mayo, who in November became the most recent Kiwi to be appointed an international judge by World Sailing and, at 28, one of the youngest ever to achieve the distinction.
According to Yachting New Zealand national sport development director Raynor Haagh, the international judges seminar is part of a broader national strategy to grow and support New Zealand’s race official network.
"This seminar follows the successful World Sailing race management seminar hosted by Gulf Harbour Yacht Club in October last year, and planning is already underway for a World Sailing measurement clinic and seminar later this year," Haagh said.
For more information about becoming a race official or attending seminars this winter, click here or contact Haagh at raynor@yachtingnz.org.nz.
For the latest online course options, click here.
