Obituary - Atsushi "Bocci" Aoyama

It is with great sadness that World Sailing reports the passing of Atsushi “Bocci” Aoyama (International Umpire 2001 – 2010).

Bocci passed away on 10 April 2019, after almost five years of battling against oropharynx cancer, which was diagnosed at its latest stage beyond any surgical treatment. He had chosen to live his life full without undergoing any medical treatment.
 
Significant parts of his last five years were dedicated to Enoshima Yacht Club as the Commodore and sailing his beloved Dragon. He had achieved the best place in his sailing career in the Dragon Class Worlds in 2017 and 10th place at the 2018 Edinburgh Cup in Great Britain.
 
He made a tremendous contribution and left a strong trail in the development of match racing and umpiring in Japan.
 
He led the healthy development of junior sailing by spearheading the junior division at the Enoshima Yacht Club for almost 15 years, building it up into the largest and most fun filled fleet in Japan.
 
His trail will be recorded in the history of sailing of Japan and will never disappear from the memory of those who received his tutelage with deepest gratitude.