RYA Performance Director and Racing Manager John Derbyshire picked up his OBE for services to sport from the Queen in an investiture ceremony held at Windsor Castle.
 
The 54-year-old from Emsworth began working with the RYA as a coach in 1984, attending the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games as coach to the single-handed classes.
 
Derbyshire was the Olympic Manager for Sailing from 1996 to 2000 and managed the British sailing team at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, which brought home three gold and two silver medals making sailing Great Britain’s most successful sport.  From 1994 to 2000, he was Ben Ainslie’s personal coach, with Ainslie going on to win gold in the Laser class at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
 
Following the Sydney Games, Derbyshire was appointed as the RYA’s Performance Director/Racing Manager, where he oversees the running of the Junior, Youth and Olympic Classes Programmes that are the envy of the world.