The Board of Directors of US SAILING, national governing body of the sport, today has elected Jim Capron of Annapolis, Md., as the organization's new president. Immediate past president Janet Baxter (Chicago, Ill.) passed the helm to Capron at the organization's annual meeting in Newport this morning.

"I'm looking forward to working with our many sailors, clubs, classes and partners in promoting and improving our sport," said Capron. "Serving as president of sailing's national governing body is quite a responsibility and I am honored to have been elected for this position."

Capron has been involved with US SAILING in many capacities over the years. He has served on the organization's Board of Directors since 2001, most recently as a Vice President. He has also been a member of numerous committees, including the Appeals, Judges, Race Administration, and Olympic Sailing Committees. In addition, Capron is a US SAILING Senior Judge and Umpire as well as an International Judge and Umpire certified by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF). As an official, he has served as a judge or umpire at many international events, including the Olympic Games, Louis Vuitton Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, and the ISAF World Sailing Games.

Capron is an experienced sailor as well, having owned and campaigned various classes of sailboats over the years, from a Penguin to a J/35 racer/cruiser.  An engineer by trade, he is the founder and president of Capron Company, Inc., a facility automation design and contracting firm located in Rockville, Maryland. Between cruising the Chesapeake Bay and his volunteer work at US SAILING and ISAF, Capron still finds time to race his Etchells.

The US SAILING President serves for a one-year term and a maximum of three consecutive terms.

Janet Baxter led the organization from October 2003 through this 2006 annual meeting. "I have thoroughly enjoyed serving the sport of sailing as president of this dynamic organization," said Baxter. "I am confident that US SAILING will continue to advance and evolve under Jim's leadership and sailing will benefit."

The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) is the national governing body for sailing and sailboat racing. Headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the organization's mission is to encourage participation and promote excellence in sailing and racing in the U.S. US SAILING offers training and education programs, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including the US Sailing Teams and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams.

For more information, www.ussailing.org Marlieke de Lange Eaton

Image. Jim Capron president US SAILING: © Meghub Sepe

Last Updated ( Sunday, 19 November 2006 )