Andrews gets top 2012 position

Sailing Competition Manager announced for London Games

Rob Andrews has been appointed as the London 2012 Organising Committee’s Sport Competition Manager for Sailing for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

Rob will be responsible for all the planning, organisation and management for the Sailing events at the Games which will take place at Weymouth and Portland.

On his appointment, Rob commented: “I am delighted to be joining the London 2012 Organising Committee as the Sailing Competition Manager and look forward to working with the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) to deliver the best possible event for Sailing. With recent advances in technology we have a unique opportunity to take our sport to new levels of sport presentation and make it a key event in a memorable Olympic Games.”

Jerome Pels, Secretary General of the International Sailing Federation said: “We know Rob very well from working with him on the 2006 ISAF Youth World Championship and we are looking forward to working together in delivering an excellent Sailing event in 2012.”

John Derbyshire, Racing Manager / Performance Director of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) said: “I am delighted that Rob has been appointed to this key role within LOCOG. Rob has done an excellent job in raising standards and introducing technical innovations to RYA events. I fully expect in his independent role at LOCOG that he will deliver a truly World Class Event for GBR in 2012”.

Rob’s key responsibilities include overseeing all aspects of the Sailing competition and to be the focal point for liaison with the ISAF. He will ensure that the competition is organised in accordance with international federation rules and the Host City Contract. He will liaise with other functional areas to ensure the coordinated delivery of support services such as accreditation, venue operations, medical services and volunteers.

Rob will travel to the Beijing Games to see what lessons can be learned from the Sailing events there, and will initially take up his position on a part-time basis, becoming full time in October this year. The London 2012 Organising Committee is in the process of appointing competition managers for all sports in the Olympic Games and for most of the sports in the Paralympic Games.

Rob has spent a lifetime immersed in Olympic Sailing. He went to his first Olympic Games in 1984 as a coach for the British team in Los Angeles and has coached at subsequent Games through to Athens 2004. As part of this role he sits on Sailing’s Olympic Steering Group devising the specific strategy that has brought sailing such a successful track record over the past two Games cycles. Since 2005 he has created the RYA World Class Sailing Events strategy, running such events as the ISAF Youth World Championship.

Rob lives with his partner Carole and two children on the south coast of England and when not running events or relaxing with his family, sails, plays golf and has recently rediscovered his mountain bike.