Rosie Colahan: Guiding the Future of Incident Management  

All ORCV races, both bay and ocean, have a dedicated shore-based team ready to monitor and assist as needed. This Incident Management Team (IMT) supports the Race Directors with a variety of skills and strengths, often working from home to keep a watchful eye on the racers.  

Rosie Colahan has been ORCV medical officer from 2006 and an integral part of the IMT, since its inception in 2008, driven by the need for offshore and international races to have a well-trained shore-based team to assist and back up the Race Directors. Now, she is stepping into a leading role for the IMT team.  

Rosie Colahan (LHS) with fellow IMT member Robyn Brooke (RHS) 

A passionate sailor with over 75,000 offshore nm and inspirational motivator, Rosie has been dedicated to educating and encouraging more women to take up sailing. She played a key role in establishing the Ocean Girls group and Women Skippers Navigators Race at the ORCV along with the Port Phillip Women’s Championship Series in 2013, and, together with Lee Renfree, rolled out the highly successful Keelboat Introduction to Sailing Savvy (KISS) program in 2022.  

So Rosie, what’s next in this new role?  

“I’m fortunate to have worked with current IMT lead, Rik Head since 2008. Rik has amazing skills in the emergency rescue space and has built a legacy of great systems to date. His ongoing guidance and assistance as we transition and continue to build the team will be invaluable for all. 

“There are some great people in our community who are as passionate about safety as I am and are able to offer assistance periodically to ensure we all can continue to sail safely. I’m eager to hear from these individuals—experienced sailors, compassionate and organized people, and those with medical backgrounds —as we turn to next year and a full program, including Melbourne to Osaka.  

“With 2024 KISS program wrapping this month, I look forward to working with Rik and ORCV Sail Committee to continue building diverse support skills in our ORCV IMT team, and for those interested in joining the team, to share your skills and interest with us via this link