Branislav Erac
Skipper
Branislav is Serbia’s National Sailing coach and a huge support to junior sailing in Serbia and the region. Branislav has a distinguished sailing history at national and regional level. This includes Finn Class National Champion in Serbia (2008), Serbia and Montenegro (2004), Yugoslavia (nine times between 1991 – 2000), junior champion (1987) Yugoslavia. At the Balkan championships he placed 3rd in Finn class in 2003 and 2nd in 2002. He ranked 1st in Serbia in Laser class in 2002 and was national champion of Montenegro in M550 class in 2005. Married to Sladjana Erac, his daughter Teodora Erac (b.1995) is a former Optimist sailor and his son Luka Erac (b.1997) is a member of Serbian Optimist sailing squad. His favorite quote: “I look forward to sailing races with and against my children and my grandchildren”
Ozren Tosic
Crew
Ozren is a medical doctor and an international health and business consultant. Ozren has been the Serbia and Montenegro Champion in Microtoner and Open class in 2005 is a crew Member of Alligator, Serbia’s only offshore racing team. Ozren is a Board member of the Serbian National Sailing Association and a strong contributor to junior sailing development in Serbia, including as Team Leader at the European Optimist Championships in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Ozren also has a distinguished sporting record in rowing (5th and 4th at the World Championships in 1977 and 1978) and pistol shooting (4th in Yugoslavia 1984). He is married to Mary E Black, silver medalist at the Serbian Microtoner championship in 2007 and the Erac & Tosic Star Sailing campaign manager. Their daughter Tara Tosic (b.1995) is the top ranked girl Optimist sailor in Serbia and their son Luka Tosic is the top ranked Optimist sailor overall in Serbia; both are members of Serbian Optimist sailing squad. His favorite quote: “I love sailing in winter under a bright blue sky in a force five Bura, going through a ton of cold, turquoise Adriatic sea”
David Antoncic
Coach
David is an Electrical Engineer. He has a distinguished sailing and coaching history at national, regional and world level. He has been a coach to Slovenian, Yugoslav, Balkan, European and World champions, including the World title in the Soling Class in 2008 and the European title in 2007. He is also a champion rifle shooter and has been a Yugoslav record holder. His favorite quote: “I have trained Slovenian, Yugoslav, Balkan, European and World sailing Champions. Now all I have left to do is to coach Olympic champions.”
Drazen Zdelarec
Advisor for the Racing Rules of Sailing
Drazen is International Race Officer and RRS expert. He has been on the Croatian and international sailing circuit all his life and is big supporter to development of sailing in Serbia and Western Balkans. His RRS understanding and advice is succint and always relevant to a given situation. His knowledge and love for sailing makes sailors that sail at his regattas better people. His favorite quote is: "Listen to me: let's do something!"
Mary E Black
Campaign Manager
Mary has managed projects totalling over 100 million euros in the Balkans over the past 20 years. She is an emeritus medical doctor and a public health specialist and has consulted in all five continents of the world, from Panama to India. An experienced scuba diver and former expedition doctor to a conservation group mapping the Belize barrier reef, she has hitchhiked alone across Alaska and has survived an attack of pirates in the Bay of Bengal. Known as Chief Ballast for her ability to do the most menial but essential tasks on board a boat, she is a wizard at finance and logistics. Her favorite quote: "So how do we make this happen?"
Philomena O'Brien
Public Relations
Philomena is an antipodean adventurer who has years of experience in event coordination, publicity and media liaison. She is known for her enthusiastic and energetic approach to communication. She admits to knowing nothing much about sailing but thinks men in lycra and neoprene are hot and she has never been known to pass up a good party. Her favorite quote: "I have an open mind on the open sea."
