Race Officials Conference
25 - 26 January 2025 | University of Birmingham
The RYA holds its Race Officials National Conference once every four years, providing a weekend of networking and focused topics designed to develop and educate all levels of race officials. These include updates to the racing rules of sailing, the equipment rules of sailing, judging, and umpiring key changes and many more topics designed to develop you as an official.
Save the date!
We look forward to returning and welcoming our race officials to a new venue in 2025. Join us at the University of Birmingham from 25-26 January 2025.
The two-day conference will be hosted on a weekend, featuring a mix of both full length and shorter bitesize sessions, as well as plenty of opportunities for networking.
RYA qualified race officials must attend a race official conference within their four-year cycle, to ensure their qualification remains valid.
If you are unable to attend in person then you can join us online where we will be streaming a handful of sessions, although this does not count as part of your renewal requirement to attend a conference but will give you the essential information of the rules update.
January 2025.
Attend in-person
In-person bookings for the RYA Race Officials Conference are now closed.
Attend virtually
Bookings for virtual attendance close Friday 24 January 2025 at 19:00.
Session highlights
- Technical 1: Equipment Rules of Sailing 2025-2028 covers the recent changes to the ERS and how this can affect measurers and classes.
- Judging 2: Arbitration: process & best practice offers a practical workshop for qualified judges. This workshop showcases top tips and gives participants the opportunity to practise their technique in mock arbitration meetings.
- Race Management 2a: Panel on Technology is aimed at all race officers, mark layers and RMT members. Discover the latest available technology and the impact it makes on sailor experience.
- Judging & Umpiring 4: Handling Misconduct & Rule 69 Hearings explains the 4-stage procedure, associated RYA guidance, range of penalties available, and guidelines for deciding any penalty.
- Race Management 5a: The Evolving Sport offers advice on developing and evolving event formats explaining what you can do to support, format, and offer variety.
Stay up to date
To keep our clubs and race officials up to date, the conference aims to deliver essential updates, information, and support. It’s also a great opportunity for officials to interact and expand on their knowledge together outside of racing.