sailing

National Canadian Sailing Team 1977-1983

competitive sailing

Fiona started sailing at the age of 10, and came from a family of 5 siblings who were highly competitive and very successful sailors all in their own right.

Graduating from the RCYC Junior Club, she went on to coach for 6 years, while competing nationally and internationally. She was an A carded athlete for 4 years, and competed with her sister Joanna internationally as a member of the 1sr cohort of International Women Sailors, attending IYRU Women’s Worlds Championships in each of 7 years on the National Team.

...the home front...

junior club to MNA

Fiona joined the RCYC Jr Club Committee In 1988,  voted chair in 1990, and retired in 1992. 

She then joined the CYA board, and took on Chairmanship of the CYA Youth Committee. In 1997 she was voted a VP, and then in 1999,  President, for a two year term.

...world sailing...

world youth champs 2000 - 2012

After joining the Youth Committee in 1995 under the formidable Chair Admiral John Barker (RN). The Admiral was the architect of the global growth of the World youth Championships event. Fiona built on this legacy, successfully serving as Chair from 2000 - 2012.

One of the crown jewels of World Sailing Events, the World Youths'  was a fulcrum for successful WS development efforts and one of the keys to the the longevity of the Volvo WS sponsorship program.

...world sailing...

women's forum

Fiona has been a member of this less publicized, but more focused committees of World Sailing, the Women’s Forum (previously the Women’s Committee) since 2004, and served as the Chair from  its inception through to 2012. She still serves as a member .

...world sailing...

events committee

Fiona served on the Events Committee from 2004 to 2020. In many ways the central nervous system of the World Sailing committee structure, this Committee is where the decisions are made that impact all aspects of what is now a wide ranging and complex sport. All decisions are ratified through Council.

...world sailing...

team racing

Fiona joined the Team Racing Committee as Chair in 2020. Long a part of her sailing life from College to sailing International 14s, she understands how much fun it is and how the format can be set to be engaging for diverse audiences. She and the Committee hold the conviction that, with its focus on skill  not gear,  Team Racing can help reinvigorate the sport locally and  internationally as well as open up new possibilities for event / media packaging in the manner of SailGP©, ultimately for Olympic audiences.