RYA Race Officials Application & Reference Forms
To become a RYA Race Official you must complete an application form. You will receive an acknowledgement via email once your application has been submitted.
We encourage you to refer to the discipline's qualification requirements when completing your application.
Please click the relevant application form to complete from the list below.
Click here to start your application for RYA Regional or National Race Officer status. This can also be used to log all your events throughout the four year cycle.
Click here to start your application for RYA Regional or National Mark Layer status. This can also be used to log all your events throughout the four year cycle.
Click here to start your application for RYA Regional or National Judge status. This can also be used to log all your events throughout the four year cycle.
Click here to start your application for RYA Regional or National Umpire status. This can also be used to log all your events throughout the four year cycle.
Click here to start your application to become a RYA qualified Sail Measurer. A signed declaration and reference form must also be submitted alongside your application.
A declaration form for all aspiring RYA approved Measurers to complete. This must be submitted with your completed application form.
Please find below the singular reference form for all race officer, mark layer, judge and umpire references, which, once a discipline is chosen, will then tailor to that specific role.
The reference form for sail measures is separate but can also be found below.
This is one singular form for race officer, mark layer, judge and umpire references. The form will then specialise depending on the discipline chosen. Referees will receive notification of acknowledgement via email once their reference has been submitted. Candidates are also entitled to a copy of any reference submitted for them.
Judge and umpire references for applicants are an important part of their application for RYA race official status. JUC reads all references as part of the application and place great weight on them as evidence of how applicants actually perform at events. JUC now reviews all references when they are submitted to check for any issues. If any are identified, the RYA will write to the referee on behalf of JUC, copying in the applicant, and will ask the referee to address the areas identified and re-submit the reference within 14 days. This only occurs in a small number of cases each year.
A reference must be completed by a qualified RYA or World Sailing measurer and have witnessed first hand the candidates performance. Click here to access the reference form.
Please find below the Performance Assessment for Umpires, as well as the assessment criteria. Only RYA appointed Umpire Assessors can provide performance assessments. To find out who these appointed assessors are or to arrange getting an assessment, please get in touch with us.
Click here to access the Umpire Performance Assessment forms. Performance Assessments will be accepted from RYA appointed assessors only. Visit our assessment criteria page to find out if you need a performance assessment for your qualification.
Click here to access the performance assessment criteria. We recommend using this when completing the performance assessment form.
What happens next?
Following submission of your regional or national application, it will passed to the relevant Race Officials Committee where they will come to an unanimous decision. The expected timescale for a decision is eight weeks.
If any further information is required, you will be contacted by the Race Officials Team.
International Race Officials
If you wish to apply for World Sailing's International status, as either a Race Officer, Judge or Umpire, and would like recommendation from the RYA, please request the relevant form(s) by contacting RaceOfficals@rya.org.uk
Recommendation Forms available upon request:
- Recommendation by the RYA for IRO (Word version)
- Recommendation by the RYA for IJ (Word version)
- Recommendation by the RYA for IU (Word version)
