Three well-respected and experienced Officials have been announced as finalists for the National Official of the Year Award, with the winner to be announced on November 3 at the Australian Sailing Awards.

As an accredited World Sailing International Judge and Umpire, Damien Boldyrew possesses a wealth of knowledge and expertise that he generously shares with the sailing community.

In the last 12 months, Boldyrew has served as an Official at numerous large-scale events. These involvements include as the Protest Committee Chair at SailFest and Sail Port Stephens, as a Judge at the 2022 ILCA 6 World Championship and the 2023 Australian Optimist Championship, and as an Umpire at the World Match Racing Tour Final.

In addition, Boldyrew has also demonstrated a consistent commitment to mentoring club members in learning to umpire and to judge at club level events. By investing time and effort into nurturing the talents of aspiring officials, he has not only strengthened the local volunteer community but also empowered individuals to take on leadership roles themselves.

Damien Boldyrew

International Umpire Remy Donraadt is well-respected and held in high regard by his fellow umpires and has worked on numerous high calibre sailing events over the last 12 months, including the SailGP events in France, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.

A positive promoter of umpiring and the sport of sailing, Donraadt is always willing to help sailors and their supporters with any question on procedures, rules, and their application.

His enthusiasm for umpiring led him to setting up a ‘live’ behind the scenes viewing of the SailGP Final, with the remote umpiring equipment and software, live camera and audio feeds, to give club members a behind the scenes look, inadvertently promoting the profession.

In addition, Donraadt was Chief Umpire at the 2023 Warren Jones Regatta and brought together a team with a diverse skill to provide opportunities for several novice officials to get the required experience to advance.

Remy Donraadt

Ben Fels embodies the spirit of a true Australian Sailing Official, holding the titles of International Umpire, International Judge, and National Race Officer.

As an active member of the Race Officer committee, he has taken on a leadership role, guiding and mentoring aspiring officials. Moreover, Fels has led multiple official’s courses, therefore playing a pivotal role in shaping the next generation.

Fels has officiated at numerous events in the past 12 months, including at the Governor’s Cup Balboa Yacht Club Grade 1, Chicago Match Race (Grade 2 US Grand Slam World Match Racing Tour), and Detroit International (Grade 2 US Grand Slam World Match Racing Tour). Notably, Fels also served as the Chief Umpire for the Harken Youth International Match Racing Championships and chaired and served as Principal Race Officer in the Victorian Youth Championships and Coaching Clinic, where his organisational skills and expertise were pivotal to the event's success.

Ben Fels

The winner of Official of the Year will be announced at the 2023 Australian Sailing Awards in Sydney on November 3. For more information on the National Awards as well as ticket availability, click here.