Rupert Holmes speaks to the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s new Commodore, Dr Deborah Fish
Few people in offshore racing can match either the passion for the sport Deb Fish OBE exudes, or the diversity of her experience and level of success on the racecourse. Yet she didn’t take up sailing until the age of 30, while working in Reading University’s meteorology department.
“I found out they had a weather and sailing field course, enjoyed that, then did it again,” she recalls. Fish then went on a longer cruise, finishing with an overnight two-handed Channel crossing. A Day Skipper course and Rolex Fastnet Race campaign followed soon afterwards. “I started via pay-to-play sailing, got hooked and then did as much sailing as I possibly could.
“Offshore racing is a wonderful sport, with massive variety – no two races are the same. The physical and mental challenges never cease, even if you’ve raced for years. It also takes you to interesting places and I love that you make good friends from around the world.”
Having developed a yearning to try solo sailing, she bought a Sun Fast 3200 and rapidly rose up the rankings to become top scoring boat across the Solo Offshore Racing Club’s combined inshore and offshore results in 2015. Fish then teamed up with fellow SORC sailor Rob Craigie, racing his Sun Fast 3600 Bellino double-handed, taking 2nd overall in the 2022 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race and overall victory in RORC’s 2023 season’s points.
IMPORTANT YEARS
Fish took over from James Neville as Commodore of RORC at the start of 2024. What does she see as RORC’s future role in the sport? “Firstly to maintain our position as a world leader in offshore racing, running world-class races in a lovely area of the world to sail. We get amazing boats doing RORC races and have by far the world’s largest offshore race in the Rolex Fastnet.”
The club’s centenary, which takes place during her tenure in 2025, is another important milestone that will see the return of the Admiral’s Cup.
Safety is also a key consideration and RORC is currently conducting a major review of the
