He is widely regarded as one of the best ISAF international umpires and judges, has officiated in the Americas Cup and numerous world class regattas and now has his sights on umpiring in next year’s Olympic Games in the UK.Royal Bermuda Yacht Club (RBYC) commodore Peter Shrubb has been chosen to officiate in December’s ISAF World Championships to be held in Perth, Australia, where the list of umpires and judges for next year’s Olympics will be finalised at the conclusion of the Olympic qualifier.“This is a very important event for umpires because they will be deciding whether or not people go to the Olympics,” Shrubb told The Royal Gazette.“It’s a pretty intense and important event and the team (of officials) will be selected after the Wold Championships in Australia.”Even though he has officiated in some of the most prestigious regattas around the world during an umpiring career spanning nearly two decades, Shrubb said he would love to add the Olympics to his burgeoning resume.“Everyone would like be there (Olympics) but unfortunately not everyone can,” he added. “Officiating in the Olympics would be the highlight of every umpire’s career.”In 2007 Shrubb got the chance of a lifetime to officiate in the final of the 32nd Americas Cup in Valencia, Spain, where cup holders Alinghi successfully defended their title against challengers Emirates Team New Zealand.“The Americas Cup is also pretty high as you can get in umpiring and I was lucky enough to do that,” he said. “I was on the final umpire team and so we did all the final races.”This year alone has seen Shrubb officiate in four different countries across two continents.In January he served as chief umpire at the Olympic Class Regatta in Miami and was also chief umpire at last month’s Open European Championships in Helsinki, Finland.Shrubb also officiated at this year’s WMRT events in Switzerland (St. Moritz Match Race) and Portugal (Portimao Portugal Match Cup) and is due to umpire in next month’s Argo Group Gold Cup in Hamilton Harbour all this while serving the final months of a two-year term as RBYC comodoore.“As I wind down my commodoreship my umpiring duties have increased a lot and I’ve been pretty busy,” the highly-respected international umpire and judge said.Shrubb is currently officiating in the biennial New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup in Newport, Rhode Island involving 22 teams from 16 countries including Bermuda.nMark Watson and crew aboard Tiburon posted two top ten finishes during yesterday’s third day of racing at the New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup in Newport, Rhode Island.The Argo Group CEO navigated his Swan 42 to identical eighth-place finishes in two races sailed in Narragansett Bay.Provisional results posted at press time last night showed Watson’s yacht, that is competing under the banner of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club (RBYC), 14th among the 22-boat fleet.Leading the biennial regatta is team Royal Canadian led by helmsman Terry McLaughlin. The Toronto resident and past Rolex Sailor of the Year is due to compete in next month’s Argo Group Gold Cup in Bermuda that is sponsored by Watson’s company.Competing with Watson in Newport this week are Ben Nicholls (tactician), John Lee (Main), Jon Corless (spinnaker), Joe Hoffman, Peter Martin (mast), Mary Jusitine Gerahty (bow and trim), Gaven Black (bow), Tom Clarke and Rockal Evans, winner of this year’s Long Distance Comet Race.Past Swan 42 national champion Watson finished an impressive sixth in the 2009 New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup.