US Sailing recognizes that the cancellation of sailing events and courses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult or impossible for some officials to meet the requirements for reappointment.
The Race Administration Committee has adopted a temporary policy to accommodate officials whose renewals are due in 2020 and who may not be able to meet the requirements for reappointment.
Main points:
- If you can meet the requirements this year, please apply for renewal as usual. If necessary, you may count events and education from the past five years (2016-2020).
- If you cannot meet the events and training requirements this year, on request you will receive an automatic extension until December 31, 2021, during which time you will remain certified and insured.
Ensure quality, integrity and consistency for all participants in the sport of sailboat racing,
Give back to the sport of sailing by volunteering and becoming a race official. You’ll run races, make umpire calls on the water, hear protests and redress requests in the jury room, and classify sailors to compete in disabled sailing events.
What are Race Officials?
Race Officials represent US Sailing on and off the race course. They are trained, certified and supported by US Sailing, and they have the resources of the organization at their disposal. Race Officials are sailors like you who volunteer their time because they enjoy the work and because they believe in the importance of giving back to the sport.
Race Officials In The Spotlight
Meet Mary-Lawrence Bickford
According to Essex Yacht Club Vice Commodore Bill Gunther, “Mary-Lawrence has always been a willing volunteer, and her endless energy is an inspiration to us all. In 2019, she received the James Orne Willets Trophy for her many contributions to Essex Yacht Club. It is awarded for the purpose of promoting the true Corinthian spirit, and recognized Mary-Lawrence’s continuous exemplary display of the highest ideals of amateur yachting.”
Read more about Mary-Lawrence
Meet Donna Sue Marks
“Donna Sue is exactly the sort of person we are looking for in a Regional Race Official,” said Mary Ellen DeFrias, member of the US Sailing Race Management Committee and a principal race officer at the Buzzards Bay Regatta in Massachusetts, where Donna Sue has run the kite circle for several years. “Her positivity and patience working with other volunteers motivates her team to excel, and she is the kind of race official who can come in and work with a new club and leave behind more confident volunteers.”
Read more about Donna Sue
Newly Appointed or Upgraded Race Officials
Name |
Certification |
Date of Certification |
Area |
ARO/RAJ |
| John Palizza | Club Judge | January 2021 | K | Mike Kaspar |
| Drew Mutch | Club Race Officer | January 2021 | C | Sharon Hadsell |
| Ted Hardwicke | Club Race Officer | January 2021 | D | JD Rosser |
| Richard Sullivan | Club Race Officer | January 2021 | E | Jamie Jones |
| Nicholas Kotsatos | Judge in Training | January 2021 | A | Mary Pierce |
| David Chudzicki | Judge in Training | January 2021 | A | Mary Pierce |
| David Rennie | Club Judge | February 2021 | J | Steve Schupak |
| Jeremy Moore | Club Race Officer | February 2021 | B | Cynthia Parthemos |
| Edward Goodman | Club Race Officer | February 2021 | C | Sharon Hadsell |
| Carol Claypool | Club Race Officer | February 2021 | D | JD Rosser |
| Conal Lancaster | Club Race Officer | February 2021 | D | JD Rosser |
| Nancy Collins | Club Race Officer | February 2021 | D | JD Rosser |
| Andrew Kopetzky | Club Race Officer | February 2021 | J | Steve Kuritz |
| Wendy Corzine | Club Race Officer | February 2021 | J | Steve Kuritz |
| Mike Hersey | Judge in Training | February 2021 | A | Mary Pierce |
| Greg Mancusi-Ungaro | Judge in Training | February 2021 | A | Mary Pierce |
| Ted McGee | Judge in Training | February 2021 | D | Edith Collins |
| Forbes Durdin | Judge in Training | February 2021 | F | Chris Luppens |
| Emily DeLossa | Judge in Training | February 2021 | A | Mary Pierce |
| Gregory Kelly | Judge in Training | February 2021 | F | Chris Luppens |
| Peter VanColen | Judge in Training | February 2021 | A | Mary Pierce |
| Gerald Thompson | National Judge | February 2021 | D | Edith Collins |
| Steven Harris | National Race Officer | February 2021 | E | Jamie Jones |
| Thomas Conlin | Club Judge | March 2021 | B | Bruce Cook |
| Todd Rogers | Club Judge | March 2021 | E | Nancy Stark Zangerle |
| Paul King | Club Race Officer | March 2021 | D | JD Rosser |
| Thomas Conlin | Judge in Training | March 2021 | B | Bruce Cook |
| Beth Fleisher | Judge in Training | March 2021 | B | Bruce Cook |
| Stephanie Taylor | Judge in Training | March 2021 | D | Edith Collins |
| Peter Chirlian | Judge in Training | March 2021 | C | James Walsh |
| David Bush-Brown | Judge in Training | March 2021 | A | Mary Pierce |
| Terrance Blanchard | Judge in Training | March 2021 | K | Michael Kaspar |
| Eric Saenger | Judge in Training | March 2021 | E | Nancy Stark Zangerle |
| Peggy Menzies | Judge in Training | March 2021 | E | Nancy Stark Zangerle |
| Brian Neubauer | Judge in Training | March 2021 | E | Nancy Stark Zangerle |
| Douglas Jones | Judge in Training | March 2021 | A | Mary Pierce |
| Richard Harries | Judge in Training | March 2021 | A | Mary Pierce |
| John Shanholt | Judge in Training | March 2021 | A | Mary Pierce |
| Dwight LeBlanc | Regional Judge | March 2021 | D | Edith Collins |
| Dwight Bengston | Regional Race Officer | March 2021 | F | Jane Taran Teague |
| Beth Fleisher | Club Judge | April 2021 | B | Bruce Cook |
| Mike Palazzo | Club Judge | April 2021 | D | Edith Collins |
| Ted McGee | Club Judge | April 2021 | D | Edith Collins |
| Matthew Curtiss | Club Race Officer | April 2021 | B | Cynthia Parthemos |
| Jeffrey Lehman | Club Race Officer | April 2021 | D | JD Rosser |
| Robert Damen | Club Race Officer | April 2021 | D | JD Rosser |
| Edward Greenberg | Judge in Training | April 2021 | B | Bruce Cook |
| Albrecht Goethe | Regional Judge | April 2021 | F | Chris Luppens |
| Paul Murray | Regional Judge | April 2021 | K | Mike Kaspar |
| John Busch | Regional Judge | April 2021 | J | Steve Schupak |
| Eileen Baird | Club Race Officer | May 2021 | A | Susan Schneider |
| Robert Farnum | Club Race Officer | May 2021 | B | Cynthia Parthemos |
| Jack Rillema | Club Race Officer | May 2021 | K | Russ Sobotta |
| Jack Slawter | Club Race Officer | May 2021 | L | Eric Rimkus |
| Scott Tuma | Club Race Officer | May 2021 | F | Jack Yoes |
| Charles Smythe | Club Race Officer | May 2021 | F | Jack Yoes |
| Michael Levesque | Judge in Training | May 2021 | A | Mary Pierce |
| Chuck Fogel | Judge in Training | May 2021 | K | Mike Kaspar |
| John Butler | Judge in Training | May 2021 | F | Chris Luppens |
| Henry Morse | Club Judge | May 2021 | D | Edith Collins |
| Marc Rosenthal | Judge in Training | June 2021 | E | Nancy Zangerle |
| Michelle Bland | Club Race Officer | June 2021 | C | Sharon Hadsell |
| Michael Balay | Judge in Training | June 2021 | A | Mary Pierce |
| Matt Wiley | Club Race Officer | June 2021 | J | Steve Kuritz |
| Bill Cook | Club Race Officer | June 2021 | C | Sharon Hadsell |
| Ann Rennie | Club Judge | June 2021 | J | Steve Schupak |
| Jason Adams | Club Race Officer | June 2021 | F | Jack Yoes |
| Deidre Fountain | Judge in Training | June 2021 | A | Mary Pierce |
| Robert Austin-LaFrance | Regional Judge | June 2021 | B | Bruce Cook |
| Dan Kulkoski | Regional Judge | June 2022 | D | Edith Collins |
What Do Race Officials Do?
Race Officials support you, the racing sailor, in their roles as Race Officers, Judges, Umpires, Classifiers and Measurers & Equipment Inspectors. They run races, make umpire calls on the water, hear protests and redress requests in the jury room, and classify sailors to compete in disabled sailing events.
Athlete Safety, SafeSport and Background Checks
US Sailing is committed to the safety of all participants in sailing and has taken steps to protect them against misconduct and abuse. Certified race officials have been required to maintain annual SafeSport athlete protection training since 2018, as mandated by federal law. In November 2019, US Sailing adopted the background check policy for race officials required by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee for all Olympic sport NBGs.
Learn more about US Sailing's Athlete Protection Measures
Insurance for Race Officials
Certified Race Officials are covered by US Sailing's liability insurance policy while they are acting as volunteers for US Sailing. Learn more.
