Geordie Shaver  

Geordie Shaver represents a rare breed in professional sailing—a veteran bowman whose four-decade career bridges the golden age of the America’s Cup and its modern technological revolution, and who successfully transitioned from the foredeck to the broadcast booth, earning a Sports Emmy Award along the way.

As a bowman in multiple America’s Cup campaigns, Shaver mastered one of the sport’s most demanding and technically crucial positions. At the front of boats like BMW Oracle Racing’s USA-76, he was responsible for the split-second calls that could determine victory or defeat—managing sail changes, coordinating the crew’s choreography, and reading conditions in real time. His approach to racing was simple: stay calm, stay unseen, and deliver when it matters most. As he once put it, “I don’t care if you don’t look at me for the rest of the day—just give me the last 20 seconds before the start.”

Shaver’s America’s Cup resume includes time with BMW Oracle Racing and Stars & Stripes, spanning an era when the sport evolved from classic monohulls to cutting-edge catamarans. He’s described the bowman’s transformation with characteristic pragmatism, recalling how “there were no string lines” in the early days and how teamwork became the true measure of success. His 2004 stint as bowman aboard the Farr 65 Team Atlantic in the Caribbean Classic further showcased his versatility beyond Cup competition.

He later brought his front-of-the-boat perspective to television, offering expert commentary at events such as the Oracle RC44 Cup in Miami—work that earned him a Sports Emmy Award for excellence in sports broadcasting.

Now a longtime Rhode Island resident and fixture in Newport’s sailing community, Shaver continues to race at the highest levels. In 2022, he helped guide Apollo 11—the oldest boat in a 34-boat fleet—to victory at the Shields National Championship. Whether winning on the water or explaining the sport to new audiences, Shaver embodies four decades of American sailing expertise.