In Memoriam: Rebecca (World Sailing Era)

Gone but never cc’d.

It is with great sadness and immediate practical concern that we mark the departure of Rebecca from World Sailing.

Rebecca was more than a colleague. She was a constant. A compass. A trusted voice. And the self-appointed authority on my wardrobe, ankle socks, and which jumper was appropriate for any given World Sailing day. On Wednesdays, we wear pink. This was not a suggestion.

She brought calm to chaos, order to confusion, and an unshakable belief that if something had gone missing, it was probably a Delta flag and we would absolutely need it in five minutes.

Rebecca loved buns. Dumplings. Cinnamon buns. Any bun that could be acquired within a reasonable detour between meetings or race areas. Entire World Sailing decisions were powered by bun logic alone – and, frankly, they were usually the right ones.

She knew things. Important World Sailing things. Teams things. Webinar things. The kind of things no one realises are specialist skills until 100 people are waiting, the screen is frozen, and someone says, “Rebecca normally does this.”

**Field operations.**
*(Rebecca, moments before remaining upright. Against the odds.)*

She once hid in a cupboard at a World Championships – a strategic retreat, not a character flaw. She could also frequently be found on the London Underground, calmly shepherding me through the Tube system, correcting my platform choices, and explaining (again) why the Jubilee line was objectively better.

At various points, Rebecca could be located in a cupboard, on a RIB, in the mud, on the right tube line but in the wrong direction (Acton Town is not correct, or close to Hammersmith), or quietly mouthing “this is fine” while everything around her very clearly was not.

She nearly fell off a RIB while attempting to secure it, all while the RYA Safety Manager watched on; a moment of athleticism, professionalism, and intense internal composure that will live on in World Sailing folklore.

**Rebecca doing Important Things™.** 📷 by Tom Roberts

Together, we attempted to run events, locate flags, enforce schedules, and create a sailor swap shop. A noble World Sailing sustainability initiative that was immediately repurposed by sailors as a drying rack and an informal jacket-exchange programme of questionable consent. Rebecca, as ever, adapted.

She was my work bestie. The first message. The last debrief. The raised eyebrow that said everything. The person who told me when my hair looked silly and when things actually mattered.

**Some people make the work survivable.** 📷 by Tom Roberts

Her departure leaves behind:
– lost flags¹
– confused Wednesdays
– fewer buns
– and at least one person now quietly asking, “What would Rebecca do?”

She leaves World Sailing to pursue life beyond this particular adventure – and honestly, that feels right.