Queensland's Season of Sailing ring master talks the winter program

by Tracey Johnstone on 28 Jul 2014 SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week 2014 - Denis Thompson is the ring master of Australia’s east coast winter keelboat and multihull racing circuit that started on the weekend with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Land Rover Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race.

Thompson is wielding the baton for five back-to-back events this winter – the Gold Coast Race, the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron’s Club Marine Brisbane to Keppel Race which starts on Thursday 31 July, the Vision Surveys Airlie Beach Race Week which runs from eighth to 15th August, the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week which is on from 16th to 23rd August and finally, the SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week which is on from the 28 August through to 2 September.

With only a short time spare in his immensely busy schedule, Thompson shared his thoughts on his involvement in the 2014 Queensland Season of Sailing winter sailing program.

Interviewer (Int): What events are you working on this winter and what do you do for each one ?

Denis Thompson (DT): It starts with the Sydney to Southport race. I did the start for that and help the CYCA with that one. For that event I am a race officer.

I immediately jumped in the car and drove up to Brisbane for the Brisbane to Keppel Race where I am Race Director. That starts less than a week after the start of the Sydney Southport race. It’s a pretty tight schedule.

Then I am in Roslyn Bay Marina for the Keppel race finish. When the last boat finishes I then head off to Airlie Beach for Airlie Beach Race Week where I am the Regatta Director.

Immediately after Airlie Beach is Hamilton Island Race Week where I am also the Regatta Director. I hop on the boat and go across and do my thing over there.

A week after Hamilton Island is finished I head off to Magnetic Island where I am Regatta Director.

All of that takes me through to the first week in September. Then I am back to Sydney straight afterwards to get ready for the summer season and the first of the summer regattas.

Leading up to those regattas is a lot work happening making sure everything is right and done. It’s a pretty busy winter for me.

Int: When did you actually start working on these events; how far in advance?

DT: I am usually doing things for the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions for next year during that year because things pop up and you immediately see them and see that you can change that and change this.

Probably six months out I start really getting into it.

Currently I am doing a lot of work on Festival of Sails which is Geelong Week as we used to know it and that is six months out.

Int: What does the Regatta Director job entail?

DT: Making sure everything that happens on the water, happens correctly. It’s looking after all the racing, that everything that is happening on the water and everything that is associated with what’s happening on the water which includes looking after the protests, the Jury and anything that is happening post-race or pre-race

Int: Do you employ someone to help you with the organization and delivery of these events?

DT: No, I don’t employ people. I am pretty lucky that I have got a core group of people at the events that I work with.

The exception would be Hamilton Island. With no proper yacht club and no sailing there as such, I have to take everyone there and that means the Jury, the office people, handicappers, results people; just everybody that has anything to do with the regatta.

Most of the other events I utilise the locals as much as I can plus bring in a few out-of-towners that have some good skill sets which we need at the events.

For example, for Magnetic Island Race Week, we have three couples that come and help. They are NRO Ted and Sue Anderson, State Judge and Race Officer Steve and Rosemary Merrington, IRO Stewart and Rosie Ross. We also have Neville Willis, a National Judge. So with him and Steve Merrington and one local, we have a pretty competent Jury.

Int: What is your legacy for the various sailing groups you work with? Is that part of your role?

DT: Yes and I am very conscious of that. I am conscious that I rock up and go to a club that has maybe been running sailing for 50 years. I am very careful that I don’t try and tread on too many toes, I guess. I very much want to educate the locals and bring them up to speed about the way we do things at other events. I think it really helps and I have certainly seen it at different events, seeing the skill levels come up.

Int: How long have you doing been this?

DT: For a long, long time. I started sailing and before you know it you’re on the local race committee and round helping on boats, pulling marks and doing whatever. I found myself drifting into race management and judging when I was living in New Zealand. Then I ended up working in yacht clubs in New Zealand and then in Australia.

Int: Do you have structured time off from your contracts?

DT: No, not at all. Like everyone who works for themselves, you just keep saying ‘yes, yes, yes’ to everything.

Int: What do you in those rare moments you get to yourself?

DT: My hobby is flying. I have a private pilot’s license. I am in a 24-person syndicate and we own two small planes. Whenever I can, I try to grab a couple of hours or maybe a day and go flying somewhere which is a lot of fun.

Int: Are there any different events coming up for you in the future?

DT: In October I am going over to New Caledonia, for the second time, to help run the Groupama Round New Caledonia Race. Their English is better than my French, but they seem to understand what is happening. It’s quite a big race, about 630 miles.

This year I did the Top of the Gulf Regatta in Thailand.

Last year I did a leg of the World Match Racing Tour in Korea. I was going to do it again this year, but they have dropped that leg for this year. They’ll pick it up next year.

I have a few irons in the fire for overseas events, but nothing is happening as yet.

Int: What is your pinnacle event each year?

DT: There is no pinnacle event. Each event is different and with each event I have to take a different approach.