RYA names Duncan Truswell Sport Development Manager

by Susie NationGrainger on 6 Mar 2014 The RYA is happy to reveal that RYA Youth Racing Manager Duncan Truswell has been appointed as the new RYA Sport Development Manager and will take over from Jon White, who after 17 years at the RYA is moving on to pastures new.

Duncan joined the RYA in 2002 as a High Performance Manager for the South West going on to become National Junior Squads Manager, Junior Racing Manager and then in 2009, RYA Youth Racing Manager with responsibility for the whole Youth and Junior programme.

As RYA Sport Development Manager, Duncan will be responsible for planning and implementation of the Sport Development programmes and activities, to increase and maintain participation in sailing and windsurfing.

He’ll also be supporting RYA affiliated clubs as well as liaising with Sport England to develop the RYA’s Whole Sport Plan to gain support and funding for initiatives and programmes.

Duncan will start his new role on 10 March. He said: 'I’m really looking forward to taking on a new challenge in leading the RYA Sport Development department and continuing the good work that’s been underway to secure the future of clubs and our sport through inspirational and innovative sport and participation development programmes.'

Stepping into the role of RYA Youth Racing Manager from the end of April will be Mark Nicholls, a former double World Match Racing Champion who has a 12-year background with the RYA both as a competitor and a coach, having aided gold medal-winning programmes for the 2004 and 2008 Games in the Yngling as well as coaching the Elliot 6m Women’s Match Racing squad upon its introduction to the Olympic programme for 2012.

Mark moves into the Youth Racing Manager role from Sport Wales, where, since 2011, he has been Focus 2014 Lead Manager, supporting Welsh sports and talented athletes that have medal-winning potential at the Commonwealth Games.

Mark said of his new appointment: 'I’m excited to be joining the RYA’s Racing department and am very much looking forward to the challenge of working with the RYA and its various stakeholders to develop young sailing talents and the British Sailing Team’s stars of the RYA website