Former US Olympic Director joins Tall Ships

by America Sail Training on 14 Oct 2005 The American Sail Training Association (ASTA) has announced that Jonathan Harley (Middletown, R.I.) has been named Race Director in charge of running its TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® Race Series.

Harley’s extensive background in the sail training area began at Chapoquoit Yacht Club on Cape Cod after which he spent four years as director of the junior sailing program at New Bedford Yacht Club (S. Dartmouth, Mass.) where he initiated their Junior Racing Team. Following a year aboard a 50’ ketch cruising from New Bedford, Mass., to the South Pacific and back, he joined Mystic Seaport Museum (Mystic, Conn.) as Supervisor of Mariner Training Programs. During his six years at the museum he was responsible for the sail training programs conducted aboard the Joseph Conrad and Brilliant.

In 1980 Harley became the One-Design Director for US SAILING, the national governing body for the sport. Leading into the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games he created the position of Olympic Director, a position he held through the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, resulting in the impressive number of 29 Olympic medals won by USA athletes.

‘Not only is Jonathan an experienced sailor, he also has over 25 years of experience with non-profit administration that includes sail training as well as race management expertise, making him a perfect fit for the Race Director position,’ said ASTA Executive Director Peter A. Mello (Mattapoisett, Mass.). ‘We are excited to have him join our senior management team.’

Founded in 1973, ASTA is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to encourage character building through sail training, promote sail training in North America, and support education under sail. With more than 250 tall ships and sail training vessels representing more than 25 countries sailing around the globe, ASTA fosters youth education, leadership development and the preservation of North American maritime heritage and traditions.

ASTA organizes the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE®, an annual series of sail training races, rallies and maritime festivals, hosts an annual conference on Sail Training and Tall Ships, and publishes SAIL TALL SHIPS!, the definitive guide to sail training and adventure at sea. Additionally, ASTA raises money for scholarships and administers grants directly supporting youth education and leadership development programs that shape young people’s lives and build tomorrow’s leaders.

More information is available online at: http://tallships.sailtraining.org/