2025 SAYRA GRADY FOSTER RACE COMMITTEE SERVICE AWARD

in conjunction with the 

Brotherhood of International Mark Boat Operators

2025 SAYRA Grady Foster RC Service Award

The SAYRA Race Management Committee is extremely proud to present the Annual SAYRA Grady Foster RC Service Award in conjunction with the Brotherhood of International Mark Boat Operators.  This award was first presented to Grady Foster in 2010 and is being presented again to some very well-deserving RC volunteers.

Interestingly, the Brotherhood was formed at one of our Sister Cities - Savannah, GA in preparation for the 1996 Sailing Olympic Games.  According to official documents, after a very difficult day in very big seas, a group of mark boat operators banded together and issued a set of demands to the Olympic Race Officials.  It is unclear whether their demands were met but in any event this banding together formed the nidus for the Brotherhood affectionately known as BIMBO’s.  In 2023, the title of the award was renamed to the Grady Foster RC Service Award expanding coverage to all RC volunteers.

After nominations are made, the committee sends the award winner’s name by carrier pigeon prior to SAYRA AGM and this year’s award winners are no strangers to being out on the racecourse.

The 2025 recipient is Tommy Harken of Carolina Yacht Club, South Carolina. 

NOMINATE A DESERVING PERSON

Recipients of the GRADY FOSTER RACE COMMITTEE SERVICE Award:

2010 - Grady Foster (Savannah YC)

2011 - Chip Till (Carolina YC-NC)

2015 - Johnny Dotterer - Columbia SC / Carolina YC SC)

2017 - Grayson Carter (Carolina YC-SC)

2018 - Ned Stender

2019 - Van Kinnett (Charleston YC)

2020 - Team LLSC - Jeff Lehman, Pat Finnick, Cathy Freeman

2021 - Steve McCarthy (Savannah YC) & David Nance (Carolina YC-NC)

2022 - Matt O'Connor (Columbia Sailing Club - Columbia, SC)

2023 - Michael Fleming (Savannah YC) & Ginger Sutton (Charleston YC)

2024 - Ruthie Seese (Savannah YC) & Mark DeGuire (Charleston YC)

2025 -Tommy Harken (Carolina YC South Carolina)