Chief Judge
Katie grew up sailing MIT Tech Dinghies, Albacores, Lightnings, and Lasers on Lake Erie. After marrying and moving to Toronto, she and her husband bought a J/24 and actively campaigned for it in regional, national, and international competitions, along with their two children. She now helms a J/35 in club races.
Katie is a National Judge and Umpire and runs Club Judge Courses for Sail Canada and many other professional development courses. She is also chair of the Ontario Judges Committee, sits on the Ontario Appeals Committee, and is a member of the Umpires and Judges Subcommittees.
Principle Race Officer | PHRF-NS B Course
Luke is the Race Director at the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron, a position he’s held since 2014. In that time, he ran innumerable races, including World, North American, and Canadian Championships, all while supporting the largest yacht club in Atlantic Canada.
Luke maintains a Regional Race Officer and Regional Judge certification with Sail Canada.
Race Officer | One Design Course
John is a Canadian International Race Officer who lives in British Columbia.
Before his retirement, he was the president of BC sailing, but now spends his days sailing with his wife Judie on his Beneteau 49, which some of you might remember as the former Festivus.
John has an impressive sailing resume, which includes being a PRO for the Melges 24 World Championships and a course race officer for the 49er, 49erFX, and Nacra 17 World Championships in Hubbards.
John is hard to miss in a crowd, so stop by and say hello to the One Design Course Race Officer!
Race Officer | PHRF-NS A Course
Tom started sailing Optimists in Toronto when he was 9 years old, attending a couple of World Championships in France and Portugal. He moved into Fireballs at Junior sailing, then International 14s, a 470, and a Tornado. His family boats were two 1930s vintage 8-metres, which he campaigned on Lake Ontario and Scandinavia, including four World Championships, winning two—with one at the helm.
Tom crewed on various IOR boats, starting on the foredeck and moving back to jib and main trim over the years. Highlights included the ’83 SORC and Admiral’s Cup, two Canada’s Cups, the NYYC Invitational and two years in Chicago events.
Tom began his race committee work in Bermuda in 2017 and received his IRO qualification in 2019. He has since managed races in Bermuda and Canada, including the 2022 49er/FX/Nacra Worlds in St. Margaret’s Bay and St. Maarten, as well as the UK and the US.
Race Officer
Trish Finlay grew up sailing in Bedford, where she raced both dinghies and keelboats. As a teenager, working with her mother, she helped start races and ran a mark boat for younger sailors.
In the mid-90s, she moved to Chester with her family, where she taught Junior Sailing at Chester Yacht Club and has worked as a race officer for Chester Race Week, Opti Jam, and various other regattas hosted at Chester Yacht Club for over ten years.
Race Officer | Bluenose Course
Peter van Muyden, from Alberta, is returning as the race officer for the Bluenose class.
As an International Race Officer with extensive international race management experience over the last 30 years, he will bring his knowledge of high-level races to the Bluenose racing circle.
Peter is a member of the World Sailing Race Management Sub Committee and has run three world championships in Nova Scotia during his race management career.
Race Officer | Classics Course
Pat is our Race Officer for the Classics Course. Pat was our On-Water Chair of Helly Hansen Chester Race Week from 2017 to 2023.
For more than 20 years, Pat Nelder has been one of the biggest promoters of sailing and boating in Atlantic Canada. Nelder, who served as the executive director of Boating Atlantic, formerly the Atlantic Marine Trades Association (AMTA), retired from that role in 2022.
Nelder says: “I think the best part of Race Week is all the energy of everyone coming to race. I think that’s so much fun. Whether you’re attending it or working it, it’s a super event!”
Scorer
David Borrowman grew up sailing dinghies at the Pointe-Claire Y.C. His keelboat sailing has mainly been cruising, with some racing experience crewing on Lake Ontario.
Since 1998, he has volunteered on the Results Crew at CORK, including helping to write the Scoring Manual.
After moving to Chester, he scored Opti Jam in ‘18 and ’19 and CRW in ‘18, missing 2019 while scoring during Laser 4.7 Youth Worlds at CORK.