Glenda Pillifeant’s Journey from First Steps to Race Director

Glenda (right) at race central for the recent Coastal Sprint

In January 2024, Glenda Pillifeant took her first steps into sailing through the Start Crewing course. Less than three years later, she's progressed from bay racing to ocean racing, completed multiple crossings of the Bass Strait and taken on the role of navigator aboard Faster Forward.

During this period, Glenda discovered that there is so much more to sailing than sailing itself, jumping at the opportunity to volunteer with the ORCV. Most recently, Glenda took on her first race as Race Director for the opening event of the ORCV West Offshore Products Coastal Sprints. Having also received the ORCV's 2026 Crew Development Award, she's now preparing to join the General Committee, where she'll take on responsibility for training.

It's an impressive journey for someone relatively new to the sport, but Glenda's enthusiasm extends well beyond her own sailing ambitions. What excites her most is the opportunity to bring others along for the ride.

A race that starts long before the starting signal

Asked how the morning of her first race as Race Director began, Glenda was quick to point out that preparations hadn't started that morning, or even that week.

"As entries come in, we're assessing the capabilities of the boats and the experience of their skippers and crews. Where I wasn't familiar with an entrant, I'd contact their club's sailing captain to find out a little more about them."

As race day approaches, the focus shifts increasingly towards operational matters, including coordination with port authorities, confirming commercial shipping movements and liaising with maritime safety agencies.

By 5:30 am on race morning, Glenda had joined by her assistants and mentors at the race control centre ready for an eventful day.

The weather, however, had conspired to create a challenging start to her race directing career. A strong wind warning had been issued by the Bureau of Meteorology, with most forecast models suggesting that the wind would ease considerably around midday. Those conditions persisted for much longer than anticipated.

From the control centre, Glenda continually monitored weather observations, coordinated shipping movements with Ports and maintained communications with Coast Guard.

Even once the fleet was underway, the deliberations continued, with the race management team closely monitoring the progress of the competing boats.

"One of our considerations was whether we needed to shorten the course to ensure that all the boats finished."

For Glenda, it was an opportunity to put her training into practice, supported by experienced assistants, whose presence helped settle some initial nerves.

"Having them beside me gave me the confidence to realise, OK, I actually do know what I'm doing. But it was great that they were there to support me"

Giving back to the sport

Glenda describes herself as someone who throws herself wholeheartedly into whatever she takes on, and volunteering is no different.

"I've always been big on volunteering. I've volunteered my whole life."

Her interest in race directing grew from the realisation that there were other ways to participate in sailing, even when she wasn't racing herself.

After gaining experience assisting with race management, Glenda completed the Australian Sailing Race Director course earlier this year, having been encouraged by fellow ORCV volunteer David Schuller. She subsequently helped direct several races before being invited by Catherine North to serve as Assistant Race Director for the Geelong Winter Sprint Series. It was following this experience that Peter Dowdney invited her to take the helm as Race Director for the opening Coastal Sprint.

Glenda believes race management offers sailors a valuable perspective on the sport.

"When you’re on the boat, you get the blinkers on. Being involved with race management helps you to realise that the decisions they make aren’t just to make things difficult for participants. There's actually reasoning behind it."

It's a lesson she believes every sailor could benefit from, regardless of whether they ultimately decide to become a Race Director.

For those interested in following a similar path, she recommends getting involved in weather forecasting and navigation aboard their own boats, asking questions and taking an interest in how decisions are made.

She also sees a natural connection between race directing and her professional life as an operations manager, where organisation and managing competing priorities are part of her everyday responsibilities.

The next chapter

Glenda's enthusiasm for volunteering and developing others will have a new outlet when she joins the ORCV General Committee, taking on responsibility for training.

"The biggest thing for me is to get more people involved."

She acknowledges the considerable contribution made by the club's experienced volunteers but also sees opportunities to broaden participation. In particular, she's enthusiastic about the evolving culture of the ORCV and wants to encourage more women and newer sailors to become involved, both on the water and behind the scenes.

One initiative she's particularly keen to explore concerns the Beyond the Bay program.

Last year, Glenda participated as an assistant mentor aboard a boat with six developing sailors. While the principal mentor concentrated on preparing the vessel and supporting the skipper, Glenda was able to devote more attention to the crew, answering practical questions about what to expect offshore.

When she first volunteered as an assistant mentor, she questioned whether she had enough experience to be useful.

"I didn't think I had a whole lot to give. I found I actually had a lot more than I thought, and I got a lot out of it. Going forward, I would like to see an assistant mentor on every boat for the Beyond the Bay programme."

That ambition will require more volunteers, but Glenda is convinced many sailors underestimate what they have to offer. Her message to prospective volunteers is simple:

"You just have to be willing to start."

A different measure of success

With so much achieved in less than three years, it's tempting to assume Glenda's proudest moment would be one of her offshore passages, her first race as Race Director or perhaps receiving the ORCV's 2026 Crew Development Award, an accolade that came as a complete surprise:

"That absolutely floored me. I didn't even know I was nominated!"

But when asked to reflect on her proudest achievement, Glenda's thoughts turned not to the miles she'd sailed or the recognition she'd received, but to the people around her.

Her family proudly shares stories of her sailing adventures and are fascinated by where she's sailed to and what she's been doing. Her mother-in-law, who will be travelling to Sydney to send Glenda as she takes part in her first Sydney to Hobart...

"Will she ever step foot on a boat? No. But does that mean she doesn't get excited about it?"

Then there are the sailors she's helped mentor, whose own journeys have continued beyond the program that first brought them together.

For Glenda, the satisfaction lies as much in inspiring curiosity and enthusiasm as it does in encouraging people to take up sailing themselves.

"Seeing people excited about sailing because of something I’ve shown them, that is what I’m most proud of."

Written by Joe Bromwich

Photos supplied by Glenda Pillifeant