Issue date
Handicapping whizz receives 2016 Yachting New Zealand Service Award.
Another outstanding 2016 Yachting New Zealand Service award goes to software developer Mark Mulcare. Since 2009 Mark has been on the Yachting New Zealand’s CIORC and PHRF committee and has given endless hours of volunteer time to handicapping for Yachting New Zealand as well as providing invaluable support to clubs around the country. Over the years, Mark has developed his own program for calculating PHRF and spends his free time collecting and analysing race data to ensure yachts have a fair and accurate rating.
An avid sailor and yacht owner, Mark has a previous Blind World Championship title to his name and competes regularly in the Richmond Series on the boat he co-owns with his brother, a Mt Gay 30, ‘Fun‘N’Games’.
Mark has also developed his own database administrator called Race Track – an unofficial boat ranking system which was born out his own frustration at handicapping systems and is based purely on mathematical rules he’s developed over time. Known for having a good sense of humor and a streak of determination, Mark’s tenacity to develop Race Track over the years through a Braille computer has paid off with many yacht owners in New Zealand now choosing to use the system.
Prior to being on the CIORC and PHRF committees, Mark was on the Yachting New Zealand Sailors with Disabilities committee. Yachting New Zealand thanks Mark for his tireless efforts and handicapping finesse, enabling the sport of yacht racing to be well administered and enjoyed by many.
