Australian Sailing congratulates Olympic Officials

by Jane Gordon on 5 Aug 2016 Six Australians will be behind the scenes during the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio playing important roles as officials.

David Brookes is acting on the race management team at the Rio Olympics and brings with him a massive amount of experience and expertise. David has worked as a race officer on every continent and has been a Technical Delegate at three Pacific Games and two Pacific Mini-Games as well as numerous World Championships.

David has the proven ability to operate at the highest level and work with people of different cultures and backgrounds, both traits needed for the Olympic Games.

Andre Blasse and Barry Johnson both join the equipment inspection teams. Andre originally worked as a volunteer at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, and is now set to enjoy his first appointment as an official. Andre is the chief measurer of the Finn Class and is hugely respected by the sailors and the class.

Barry Johnson is no newcomer to the Olympic Games having been the 49er Class measurer for 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and again now in 2016 Rio Olympic Games. This is a commitment and amount of experience that would be hard to match.

When asked about his level of commitment over such a long time Johnson responded “I’ve done a few, yes.”

“I just feel that I’ve had a pretty good run out of sailing which I’ve enjoyed all my life. I just like to give back really. Sailing has been good to me.”

Expecting that this may be his last Olympic Games Johnson reflected “the camaraderie with sailors and officials at the Olympic Games has been truly remarkable.”

During the Paralympics in September, David Stanley, Danielle Watkins (nee Pascoe) and Dr Stephen Wilson will be flying the Australian flag for the officials.

David Staley is the Royal Brighton Yacht Club Sailing Manager and will be playing a lead role in the Paralympic Sailing competition as Technical Delegate. David has a wealth of experience having been responsible for over 16 major events including World Championships and Olympic class regattas.

Beside these, Staley has also served as Technical Delegate to 12 World/International Championship events in eight countries. David’s empathy for this segment of sailing cannot be understated either. He has been a delegate to Australian Sailing’s Sailability Committee for ten years and on the International Federation of Disabled Sailing.

Danielle Watkins (nee Pascoe), an International Judge from Melbourne will be attending her first Paralympics as an Official. Watkins is also from Royal Brighton Yacht Club where she often coaches and scores. The appointment is not surprising given that at the time Watkins was first appointed an International Judge, she was the youngest in the world and the only one in Australia, showing her high skill level and determination.

Dr Stephen Wilson has a long standing commitment to the classification of disabled sailors, a process that assesses functionality and eligibility to compete in the Paralympics. Dr Wilson is considered a world leader in this aspect of sailing competition, having previously served at the Paralympics.

Dr Wilson has also been the Chief Classifier and Chairman of the International Association for Disabled Sailing (IFDS) and is the IFDS representative to the World Sailing Medical Commission. In parallel to this role of Classifier, Stephen will be working on the team monitoring environmental and health risks of concern to competitors and officials in Rio.

Australian Sailing wishes all officials the best of luck conducting their respective official duties at the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games.

If you are interested in becoming an official contact your local Sailing Club or find an upcoming course near you, click here for more information.