Fred Rocha

Principal Race Officer

Fred is originally from Rio de Janeiro Brazil, started sailing before he even remembers. Late 70’s, Opti's then Pinguins, Snipes and so on…. 
His evolvement with radio sailing started in the earlies of 2000, after moving to San Diego CA. From there, his passion increased. 
Former IOM ICA Chairman, for the past 8 years, assisted National Class Association helping manage their events in 5 different continents. 
As a dual citizen of Brazil and USA, considers himself lucky, to have hosted the 15th Worlds in the US and the 19th Worlds in Brazil.

Rosette Micallef

Member of the Race Committee

Rosette is married to Albert Micallef (MLT 11) and has been supporting him since 1987 when Albert started sailing. Albert built his first IOM in 1990 and got Rosette into the sport where she has been helping out the MMBA since 1997, in various local and International events organised by the MMBA. The largest event that Rosette participated in, was the IOM World Championships held in Malta back in 1999.

Christopher Poulton

Member of the Race Committee

Chris has been an active MMBA member for the past 6 years racing the DF65 class.  He has helped in all events, primarily in charge of course-laying and rescue boat. Chris is a full-size yacht skipper with several thousand miles at sea, and enjoys boat restoration and maintenance when he is not racing his DF65 or riding his bikes.

Michael Mifsud

Member of the Race Committee

Michael has been a sailor since 1990, when he joined Vikings Sailing Club and was taught how to sail by Chris. After a long time sailing on dinghies in 2002, Michael moved to keelboat sailing eventually becoming secretary of the Malta Cruising Club. In 2018 Michael became the President of the Malta Sailing Federation and since 2019 he has served as the CEO of Yachting Malta Ltd.

Thomas Abdilla

Member of the Race Committee

Thomas started sailing back in 1983 when he built his first 36 inch restricted r/c yacht. He then jumped into dinghy racing and got addicted to the sport. After picking up a calcaneus injury which kept him off sailing dinghies, he went back to r/c racing and has started the sport of designing, sewing and flying kites.

Russell Trinidad

Member of the Race Committee

Russell has recently started helping out the MMBA after she was brought to the sport by her boy friend Darren Abdilla (MLT 25). When possible, she has been very supportive towards the MMBA helping out in various events. 

Rita Micallef

Member of the Race Committee

Rita joined the MMBA 5 years ago after buying herself a Dragon Force 65 and has since then, participated in local DF65 races. Rita has also been an asset by helping in previous International Championships organised by the MMBA.

Miranda Jakelić

Member of the Race Committee

Miranda is married to a sailor and their daughter also happens to sail IOM so her involvement into this sport is natural. Although she never learned how to sail, over the years Miranda has acquired good knowledge and skills by helping her children and her husband.
Since her first OPTI Europeans in 1998, Miranda was offered various roles to help out in Europeans and World Championships for different classes, mostly as a scorer. She is really looking forward to be part of the Malta IOM Open 2022 race committee.

Chris Watts

Chairman of the Jury

Chris has been on the Jury for nearly all IOM World and European Championships since Barbados in 2009. He has also been involved in training other judges in umpiring races for IOMs in China and Thailand. He has been an International Judge for 22 years and also one of World Sailing's 10 International Judge Instructors. Chris still successfully races his yacht and is a longtime member of his local Radio Sailing club still owing two IOMs.

Vic De Smedt

Member of the Jury

Vic's sailing “career“ started in the 80’s.He is mostly sailing Lasers and in summer Vic enjoys his 36 foot sunfast mostly on the North Sea (Belgian coast). As a jury member he does some 20-25 regatta’s a year, most of them in Belgium and some 10-15 international events. Lately Vic was involved in the jury for European and World Championships in IOM, Marblehead and Ten Rater.

Didier Greze

Member of the Jury

Didier has been sailing since he was 7 years old, mostly on 420, 470, 5O5 and keel boats like Shark, First 260 and X442. Today, Didier owns a 30 feet Jeanneau cruiser boat and is the General Secretary of the "Yacht Club de La Baule". Didier is a National Judge since 2013 and every year, he gets invited for internationals events outside of France, such as the Cowes Week, Fastnet Race, World and European Championship for keel boats, metrics and dinghies. He has been judging IOM events since 2009 from regional events to French Championship as Chairman and as a member of the IJ Panel for the 2017 World Championship in France and the 2019 Europeans in Croatia. Didier will be part of the Jury panel for the IOM World Championships being held in Croatia. Didier is aldo a member of the Racing Rules Committee of the IRSA since 2020.