10 May 2010
James Stuart, 30, has been appointed as RYA Scotland’s new Chief Operating Officer (COO). James joins RYAS from the Scottish Equestrian Association, where he was COO. After graduating from Southampton University, James spent 8 years in the Army, where he served in Bosnia and Iraq, and trained in many other countries.
A keen sportsman, James competed for the Army in marathon kayaking, sailing and skeleton bobsleigh. He has sailed ever since learning at age 10, and has raced both dinghies and yachts. He became a sailing Instructor at age 16, and was appointed as a Coach/Assessor in 2009. Off the water James has worked with RYA Scotland as a lead instructor with Sailing in the City (SITC) and as the chairman of the Participation Development Group, which encourages RYA training centres and clubs to bring new people into the sport.
On his appointment as RYAS COO, James commented that RYA Scotland has many strengths to build on. "RYAS has a very strong team of staff and volunteers, working hard in all aspects of sailing across Scotland. Underpinning all of this are excellent relationships with the national agency for sport, sportscotland, and the RYA head office.”
“I look forward to building the reputation and popularity of sailing and boating in Scotland further from this strong starting point,” James said. “Scotland has an amazing coastline, plus many inland lochs. Wherever you live, you are sure to have an ideal spot to start sailing nearby.”
“At RYA Scotland, we have staff and initiatives, ready and able to help people at all levels of the sport, from encouraging the grassroots, to progressing into racing and on to Olympic competition. In Scotland we will play our part in keeping British Olympic sailing in its current number 1 position in the world as we look forward to the 2012 London Games.”
James starts work at RYA Scotland on May 10th.
Notes to Editors:
- The RYA is the national body for all forms of recreational, competitive and professional boating. It represents dinghy and yacht racing, motor and sail cruising, RIBs and sportsboats, powerboat racing, windsurfing, inland cruising and personal watercraft.
- The RYA is recognised by all government offices as being the negotiating body for the activities it represents. It continually fights for the rights and freedoms of its 102,000 personal members, the majority of whom choose to go afloat for purely recreational non-competitive pleasure on coastal and inland waters. There are an estimated further 500,000 boat owners nationally who are members of RYA affiliated clubs and class associations.
- The RYA also sets and maintains a recognised standard for recreational boat training through a network of 2,340 RYA Recognised Training Centres in over 43 countries. On average 155,000 people per year complete RYA training courses.
- The RYA is committed to promoting all forms of boating and making them accessible to, and safe for, everyone. For more information please refer to our web sites www.rya.org.uk or www.ryascotland.org.uk .
- RYA Scotland is at Caledonia House, 1 Redheughs Rigg, South Gyle, Edinburgh EH12 9DQ
- Scottish sailor Shirley Robertson is Britain’s most successful female sailor ever, with two successive gold medals
- There are four Scottish sailors in RYA World Class Performance squads, and all aspire to selection for the London 2012 Games.
- Many younger Scottish sailors are progressing through RYA Scottish and RYA GBR squads, pursuing their Olympic dreams
- Run by the RYA, Skandia Team GBR - the British Sailing Team, is the world’s most successful sailing team in the Olympic Classes.
- Olympic and Youth sailing is a beneficiary of the Lottery funded World Class Programmes (WCP) and administered by the Sports Councils. The Programmes focus on performance sport with the aim of achieving sporting excellence on the world stage. Further information can be found on the UK Sport website at www.uksport.gov.uk and Sport England’s website
- The Volvo RYA Champion Club Programme, RYA Volvo Youth Squad, RYA Volvo Transitional training, RYA Volvo Youth National Championships and Trials and the RYA Volvo Zone & Home Countries Championships are supported by Volvo Car UK.