Veteran Etchells sailor Tim Patton will now head up the Bermuda Sailing Association (BSA) following the recent Annual General Meeting.

Patton succeeds Somers Cooper who was president for the past three years.

Patton is no stranger to the position having previously been the BSA leader for a number of years before turning the reins over to former president Dennis Correia five years' ago.

BSA is the national governing body for the sport of sailing in Bermuda and represents the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) locally.

Patton, a lifelong sailor, boasts multiple Bermuda Etchells Class National Championship victories, a Canadian National Championship title and was the international President of the Etchells Class for many years.

He has represented Bermuda at the Etchells World Championships 20 times with a fourth place finish being his best performance.

Patton said he was "looking to spread the load of the organisation by inviting key members from the sailing community to take on additional responsibilities to enable the sport to grow and to ensure continued dialogue and compliance with the Department of Youth and Sport, Bermuda Council for Drug Free Sport, Bermuda Olympic Association and ISAF."

Patton added that he wanted to build on the strength of the Department of Education's WaterWise Programme and to "create more sailing opportunities at the grassroots level".

During the recent election, three new members were welcomed to the BSA board.

They include J24 Class stalwart Pete Ramsdale who is also Rear Commodore of the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, Comet sailor George Hayward, former Vice Commodore and current Sailing Chairman of the Mid Atlantic Boat and Sports Club and Malcolm Kirkland, Director of Strategic Initiatives of the Bermuda Sloop Foundation.

Also re-elected to the BSA board were 2009 Board members Somers Cooper, Peter Bromby, Sacha Simmons and Leatrice Roman.