Alan Straton is an expert in Sports.
You can find Alan here: https://ro.straton.org.za.
More About Alan’s Expertise:
As a National Race Officer I get to experience sailing close up and officiate at many different sailing classes Regional and National Championships.
As a consequence I have many contacts and experience of sailing from offshore to lake, from ocean going to radio controlled, dinghy and keelboats. If I do not know the answer to your question I will be able to source an answer quickly for you.
I am based in Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape.
In the Sailing World a Race Officer is the equivalent of a Referee in a Rugby Match – only that his/her level of skills and peripheral knowledge required is just that little bit more.
Alan’s experience:
- Club, Regional and National Dinghy and Keelboat Experience as a sailor for more than 40 years (Cape 2 Rio, Vasco Da Gamma, Lipton Cup etc.)
- Secretary of the Optimist Class Association
- Optimist Class Measurer
- Secretary of ABYC
- Vice Commodore Sailing of ABYC
- Marketing Portfolio ABYC
- Commodore ABYC
- Safety Officer
- Established Development Sailing Course at ABYC
- Mark laying for International, National, Regional and Club races (Hobie 16 Worlds, J22 Worlds, Optimist Africans, Optimist Nationals, 5O5 Worlds, Mirror Worlds)
- Bridge crew member for various regattas – International, National, Regional and Club
- Officiated as National Race Officer at National and Regional Events in Gqeberha, East London, Knysna, Wriggleswade, Sedgefield, Saldanha Bay.
- I have also officiated at a DF95 Radio Controlled Yacht Nationals and Regionals as well as the East Cape Dinghy Provincials.
The controlling body for sailing in South Africa – South African Sailing (SAS) – certifies Race Officers according to the following scale:
- Club
- Regional
- National
The knowledge required is freely available and certification is mainly on a practical basis – aspirant Race Officers will typically begin their calling by serving on a mark laying boat first and then ‘graduate’ to finish and start boats doing each of the required tasks on each boat – recorder, flags etc.
World Sailing has published a Race Officer Code of Conduct that all Race Officers are expected to adhere to:
- Maintain a high level of understanding and application of the world sailing racing rules of sailing (RRS), regulations to prevent collisions at sea (IRPCS), SA sailing policies and procedures;
- Ensure that each decision or action taken is based upon the RRS and principles of fairness and objectivity, and is made with care and without prejudice;
- Be responsible for their actions concerning the safety and welfare of competitors, race officials, support personnel and volunteers
- Uphold the confidentially of race committee and jury deliberations during and after the regatta;
- Be polite, courteous, open-minded, and patient with colleagues, competitors, race officials, team officials, support personnel, volunteers and hosts, and to respect cultural differences;
- Declare, without delay, any apparent conflict of interest which may arise;
- Arrive at the event in adequate time and remain until after all duties are completed;
- Incur only expenses that are necessary, and when expenses are reimbursed, to claim only legitimate and essential out-of-pocket costs;
- Maintain high standards of behaviour and good manners
Say Hello to Alan:
Meet Alan on These Social Media Sites:
Phone: 041 505 4600
News from Straton.org.za:
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Race Officer Report by Alan Straton, (SAS 2019-0034NRO). Date Submitted: 11/02/2025 Regatta: DF95 East Cape Provincials Venue: Eastern Province Power Boat Club, North End Lake, Gqeberha Organised by: PERBC. Start Date: 24/01/2025 End Date: 26/01/2025 Total Races Sailed: 37 over 3 Days. Day 1: The DF95 Eastern Cape Provincials hosted 20 entrants – 19 male […]
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Race Officer Report by Alan Straton, (SAS 2019-0034NRO) for the Optimist, Mirror and Topper 5.3 Fleets Date Submitted: 07/01/2025 Regatta: 2024 Youth Nationals Optimist Fleet Venue: Wriggleswade Dam Organised by: East London Yacht Club under the Auspices of South African Sailing. Start Date: 16/12/2024 End Date: 19/12/2024 Total Races Sailed: 13 over 4 Days. Day […]
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Race Officer Report by Alan Straton, (SAS 2019-0034NRO). Date Submitted: 27/06/2024 Regatta: Dart Single Handed Nationals Venue: ELYC Organised by: Dart. Start Date: 15/06/2024 End Date: 17/06/2024 Total Races Sailed: 8 over 3 Days. Day 1: A total of 3 races were sailed on the first day. A steady westerly wind of around 10 knots […]
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Race Officer Report by Alan Straton, (SAS 2019-0034NRO). Date Submitted: 02/05/2024 Regatta: Eastern Cape Dinghy Regional Championship Venue: Redhouse Yacht Club Organised by: SASEC. Start Date: 21/04/2024 End Date: 22/04/2024 Total Races Sailed: 5 over 2 Days. Day 1: 35 entrants in 6 Fleets contested the Eastern Cape Dinghy Regional Championship: ILCA: Sailed: 5, Discards: […]
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Prescriptions for International, National Championships and Regional Championships: Download: SA Sailing – Sailing Management Policy SA Sailing – Sailing Management Policy Prescriptions for International, National Championships and Regional Championships: 1. Definitions 1.1. “Championships” includes class championships, class discipline championships, team racing and selection events. This excludes events organised by a club that is not an […]
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