Celebrating a new RNZYS summer menu

Race Officer Jan Airey’s trigger finger is itching to get back on the starting gun

Story & picture by Debra Douglas

If you are thinking of joining the Squadron’s volunteer race management team, “just go for it,” urges Jan Airey, the club’s Race Officer of the Year for the 20-21 season. “We are a good bunch of people and very supportive.”

Jan, a sailmaker at Lidgard Sails, has missed her teammates during lockdown. Jan: “It has been dreadful not being out on the water these lockdown months – we could only message each other, ‘See you soon, see you soon’.”

She normally spends much time at the Squadron, officiating at the Etchell Sprint Series, Eliott 7 Sprint Series, Ladies’ Series and match race championships. RNZYS Race Officer Jan Airey working in her ‘day job’ at Lidgard Sails.

She will also be overseeing December’s Barfoot & Thompson Bridge to Bean Race, the Women’s Keelboat Nationals and Etchell Nationals in April and is fully involved with the Youth Programme.

Jan didn’t take up sailing until her midtwenties when she joined her local club, the Waikawa Boating Club, in the Marlborough Sounds. Although never a dinghy sailor, she has spent a lot of time on the water, including competing in the Sydney-Hobart, sailing around the Pacific and to Japan and back. Up until a few years ago she owned a Young 88.

“I am passionate about wind and wind direction and setting good courses. I enjoy the camaraderie of the volunteer team and after all the years of sailing it is nice to give something back. At the Squadron I have been very privileged to have an amazing mentor in International Race Officer, Megan Kensington, as well as a good team around me. I also like talking to the competitors afterwards and getting their feedback. There is nothing wrong with getting feedback.

“Everyone has to start somewhere, so come on, join us and have some fun. You don’t have to be a sailor to do the job. One of my assistants has never been a sailor and she is really good. It does help, but it is not essential.”

Sailing Director Laurie Jury says it is critical that the Squadron has more volunteers like Jan at the club. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to run any of the racing and it is going to be a very busy (half) summer next year, because of all the events that have had to be re-scheduled.

• For information about being part of the team, contact ljury@rnzys.org.nz, or Race Manager Megan Thomson mthomson@rnzys.org.nz.

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