ON THE WATER Racing
Ruling the waves R
ules advisors are there to help the sailors and teams with anything relating to rules, so it’s
a broad role. It can be as simple as helping complete a protest form – when a claim is made that another team has broken a rule – to ensuring you understand the rules for an event. The Olympic documentation was over 130 pages and amended 25 times during the Games. Falling foul of complex rules such as those is easy and so it’s our job to stop that. I got into the role after I stopped
racing, which had been a big part of my life during and after studying ship science at university. I began umpiring locally, then became
Rules Advisor Craig Mitchell explains how his job ˜˦ ˦˜ˠ˜˔˥ ˙˥ ˕˧˛ ˖˔ ˔˗ ˛˜˚˛ʠˣ˥Ѓ˘ ˘˩˘˧˦
an international umpire while working for World Sailing. In 2007 I was invited to join the 24-strong umpire team for AC34 in Valencia. When the America’s Cup World Series came to Plymouth I began electronic umpiring. This led to San Francisco and onwards. SailGP landed in 2019 and in 2021 I was asked to lead their umpire team. This year, I was rules advisor for
the German Olympic team and an umpire for the America’s Cup. I enjoyed both roles; it’s interesting seeing how athletes prepare and perform under pressure and that we can help them achieve their goals, albeit in a small way. Although the stakes are different, the job is essentially the same
“Use technology so your work is easier and better, not just because you can”
˙˥ ˛˜˚˛ʠˣ˥Ѓ˘ ˥ ˔˧˜˔ʠ˘˩˘ events. You should prepare well but be receptive to learning. Listen too; you’ll understand the perspective of sailors and coaches and how their boats handle. When it comes to making
decisions, always explain why you came to that conclusion. If you got it wrong, apologise, learn and move on. And when the pressure’s on, you must stay strong. I’m lucky enough to have been
in the right place at the right time more than once, which led to some amazing opportunities; be ready when they come up. And most importantly, I always bear in mind that I’m nothing without the team.
ʽ˜ ˧˛˘ ˥˔˖˘
ˇ˛˘ ˅ˌʴ ˙˙˘˥˦ ˤ˨˔˜Ѓ˖˔˧˜˦ ˙˥ Ѓ˩˘ ˥˔˖˘ ˙Ѓ˖˜˔ ˗˜˦˖˜ˣ˜˘˦ ˨˗˚˘ ˠ˔˥˞ ˔˘˥ ˠ˘˔˦˨˥˘˥ ˥˔˖˘ ˙Ѓ˖˘˥ ˔˗ ˨ˠˣ˜˥˘ ˕˨˧ ˧˛˘˥˘ ˔˥˘ ˧˦ ˙ ˥˘˦ ˧˛˔˧ ˠ˔˞˘ ˔ ˘˩˘˧ ˛˔ˣˣ˘ʡ ʹ˜˗ ˨˧ ˠ˥˘ ˔˧
www.rya.org.uk/eventlisting
ʻ˘˗ ˘˩˘˥ ˙˨˥ ˘˔˥˦ ˧˛˘ ˅˔˖˘ ˂˙Ѓ˖˜˔˦ ˁ˔˧˜˔ ʶ˙˘˥˘˖˘ ˙˙˘˥˦ ˘˧˥˞˜˚ ˔˗ ˧ˣ˜˖˦ ˧ ˗˘˩˘ˣ ˔ ˘˩˘˦ ˙ ˥˔˖˘ ˙Ѓ˖˜˔˦ʡ ˇ˛˘ ˘˧ ˖˙˘˥˘˖˘ ˜˦ ʥʨʥ ʽ˔˨˔˥ ʥʣʥʨ ˔˧ ˧˛˘ ˈ˜˩˘˥˦˜˧ ˙ ʵ˜˥ˠ˜˚˛˔ˠʡ ʹ˥ ˠ˥˘ ˗˘˧˔˜˦ ˩˜˦˜˧
Craig is the chief umpire for SailGP.
www.rya.org.uk/events/race- ˙Ѓ˖˜˔ʠ˖˙˘˥˘˖˘
rya.org.uk WINTER 2024 59
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