Volunteers for Executive Council Officer positions to be included in the upcoming EGM

Below is a list of MYA Members who have volunteered to join the MYA Council. Names will be added as they are received along with some notes for those of you who do not already know them.

James Hadden (Gosport MBC) has put his name forward for the Council Officer role of International Officer.

James’s background in sailing suits this role well, having competed at an international level for a number of years in the Finn class. After stopping full time sailing he moved into coaching and now works as a professional coach for the RYA and the Andrew Simpson Foundation working with the top youth and senior sailors in the UK. This work includes regularly coaching at international regattas and dealing with the politics and issues surrounding such events. James recently took part in the IOM World Championships in Croatia as part of the GBR entry.

Nigel Barrow (Frensham Pond Radio Sailing Group) has put his name forward for the Council Officer role of Racing Officer.

Nigel started sailing at age 13 at Frensham Pond sailing club and won all International Cadet Open and area events in the UK including the World and national championships between October 72 and August 1973. He went on to run 2 Olympic campaigns in 470’s finishing 2nd in the trials in 76 but was a victim of the boycott in 1980. Since then he sailed in many dinghies and yachts in Europe US and Canada with victories on multiple occasions. He invested time on the Olympic yachting committee in the 70’s, Frensham Pond Sailing club committees and was 2022 Seniors Captain at Blackmoor Golf Club.

Nigel started building and sailing IOM’s at the beginning of Covid and built a web site to help IOM sailors across the world. Not only does it consolidate most IOM information on the web, It tracks his brief history in IOM. See www.nigelbarrow.co.uk. Recently he purchased a Marblehead which he intends to campaign next year.

Nigel has acted as race officer many times at Frensham and coach to various sailing groups and has a detailed understanding of the racing rules and racing in general.

His racing knowledge and admin capability makes him ideally suited to the role of MYA Racing Officer.

In business, He specialised in sales and spent the last 12 years selling information to roles from engineers to chief executives in the top oil and gas companies across the planet.

Nigel has no conflicts of interest with any party in the world of model yachting. His philosophy is that sailing should be fun and ideally devoid of any politics. He worked in a business where the highest ethical standards were employed and this has stayed with him in retirement.

Graham Bantock (Chelmsford RYC) has put his name forward for the Council Officer role of Technical Officer.

Graham Bantock Application Technical Officer January 2023

Jen Hand (Lincoln Radio Sailing Club) has put her name forward for the Council Officer role of Secretary to Council.

As it is doubtful that my appointment at the AGM in November 2022 was Constitutional, I am submitting this application to be included in the current EGM.

Having previously served in this role for three years 2019 to 2021, and with a passion for sailing, I feel I can fulfil this role and be useful to the Association.

Darin Ballington (Lincoln Radio Sailing Club) has put his name forward for the Council Officer role Vice Chair

Many will already know me, and I have a passion for our great sport at all levels. I have decided to throw my hat into the ring for the Vice Chair role again and work with fellow council members on projects as and when required. My particular aim is to help the MYA council communicate and engage with the members at all levels.

Hopefully I will see many of you at events and please come and have a chat, whether I get your vote or not.