Michael Grandfield Takes Charge

After six years at the helm, dual Olympic Medallist (Bronze ’92 & Silver 2000) and four times (’89, ’92, ’98, ’01) World Champion John Forbes

of Australia has handed over the reigns of the International Tornado Association at the recent Annual General Meeting in South Africa.

John Forbes has been involved with the running of the ITA since the introduction of the “big rig” back in 1993 and, as one year being Vice President in 1994 and then as President since 1995, he now hands over the top job to the USA Tornado sailor Michael Grandfield.

Michael Grandfield has been Vice President of the USITA for some time and played a vital “neutral” role during the 1996 and 2000 US Tornado Olympic Team Selections. He is also the Regatta Organiser for the 2002 Tornado World Championship being held at Martha’s Vineyard in conjunction with the A Class World Championship. They expect to see 150 – 200 of the high speed catamarans on the island during September 2002.

At the same time as electing a new president the Class also voted to formally accept a change to the new rig with spinnaker and twin trapeze.