King takes helm as RYA Racing Keelboat Manger
by Matt Carter, RYA 8 Nov 2013 10:20 GMT
8 November 2013
The RYA is delighted to announce the appointment of Nigel King as the RYA Racing Keelboat Manager - a new and exciting position within the RYA Racing Department.
King, who possesses a wealth of experience as both a sailor and a coach, was carefully selected by the Royal Yachting Association to plan, support and develop the sport of keelboat racing across the United Kingdom.
With 25 years of racing/coaching experience under his belt, King has managed and coached racing teams at top international level both offshore and inshore. Offshore, King has competed in crewed events such as the Volvo Ocean Race and Jules Verne trophy, in double handed IMOCA 60 races such as the Transat Jacque Vabre and has spent three years racing solo on the Beneteau Figaro II circuit. He has also completed four Sydney to Hobart races, three Rolex Middle Sea Races and five transatlantic races as skipper or crew.
Inshore, King has worked and raced in teams on the Olympic class circuit, RC44, Extreme 40, the World Match Racing Tour plus small keelboat campaigns in a variety of classes. His skills and talents have brought him together with some of the sport's top skippers; including Mike Golding, Ellen MacArthur, Paul Cayard, Dee Caffari and Cameron Appleton – giving him some invaluable contacts within the world of keelboat racing.
Commenting on his appointment, the 44-year-old said: "To have the chance to work with the national authority of a sport that has been your life for the last 25 years and has given me so much enjoyment is a big honour and I am incredibly excited at the prospect.
"I am looking forward to working across the sport of keelboat racing with the key objective of developing a steady stream of crews to support the UK yacht racing scene and to enable high performing sailors to progress into high level yachting.
John Derbyshire, RYA Racing Manager/Performance Director, added: "A big welcome to Nigel King who takes on the new role of RYA Racing Keelboat Manager. This role has been developed since keelboats were dropped from the Olympic Games and will be pivotal in increasing the number of people racing keelboats throughout the UK, raising the standards of Youth keelboat sailors via better support of the British Keelboat Academy and preparing teams for events such as the 2014 Brewin Dolphin Commodores Cup.
"As the successful Brewin Dolphin Commodores Cup team manager in 2012 and a former member of the RYA Offshore group as well as well-respected professional sailor, Nigel will bring a raft of experience with which to connect with owners, clubs and sailors alike."
For further information on the RYA Racing Keelboat programme visit the RYA website.