Australian Sailing Awards 2016 winners
October 29, 2016
The 2016 Australian Sailing Award winners were announced on Saturday night, October 29th, at the annual event that recognises those who have contributed significantly to the Sailing community.
This year the Awards were held at the MA Noble Dining Room at the Sydney Cricket Ground with 200 guests celebrating the 2015/2016 year of sailing which included the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games.
For the second year in a row Lisa Darmanin has won Female Sailor of the Year. The Rio 2016 Silver Medallist as part of the Australian Sailing Team and Waterhouse Darmanin Sailing is ecstatic with the honour.
Jason and Lisa won their first international gold medal in 2009 at the ISAF Youth Worlds in Brazil. Their success built over 2015, winning the Rio Test Event and the Sailing World Cup in Weymouth and Portland. They also finished second at the World Championships in Denmark in July 2015. In January 2016, they won Silver at the Sailing World Cup Miami and continued to post top five results in major events in the lead up to Rio.
Lisa brings an exceptional work ethic to all she does and leaves no stone unturned with her training to get great results, while also working tirelessly to promote the sport and inspire young athletes. In the lead up to Rio, Lisa visited schools and Clubs and is particularly interested in increasing opportunities for women in sailing, spending many hours with junior and youth sailors, inspiring them in their sailing careers. She is the Chair of the Australian Sailing Athletes Commission and is also a long-time member of the Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club.
Jason Waterhouse was nominated as a Finalist as Sailor of the Year.
Liesl Tesch came away with two awards, one for being part of the Australian Paralympic Sailing Team, which took out the Sailor of the Year with a Disability, and the prestigious President’s Award.
Daniel Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch became the first Paralympic sailors to defend their Paralympic title, returning from Rio with Gold in the SKUD18 class. The pair, who claimed Gold in London in 2012, won with two races to spare. Liesl and Daniel were both nominated for Sailor of the Year with a Disability but their amazing feat in defending their Paralympic Title meant both were nominated in their individual Male and Female Sailor of the Year categories as well.
Leading into the Rio 2016 Games, Daniel and Liesl won the 2015 Para World Sailing Championships as well as the 2015 Sailing World Cup in Melbourne. They were also third at the Delta Lloyd 2016 Para World Sailing Championships in the Netherlands. Daniel and Liesl teamed up in 2009. Impressed with her form in the 2009 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Daniel convinced Liesl to make the move to sailing.
After less than a month training together they won their first ever competition at the Sailing World Cups in Miami and Weymouth and two World Championship bronze medals.
Before taking up sailing, Liesl won two Paralympic Silver medals and one Paralympic Bronze medal in wheelchair basketball. In 2010, she co-founded Sports Matters, a charity that promotes sport for people with disabilities in developing countries.
Last week we brought you the news that Liesl is being inducted into Basketball Australia’s Hall of Fame.
Considered by many in Pittwater to be part-Pittwaterian, Liesl and Daniel were instrumental in beginning the Integrated disAbled Sailing at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club. This fantastic Program was a finalist for the club in the Sports Promotion category of this year's awards.
The Australian Paralympic Sailing Team members are Daniel Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch, who became the first Paralympic sailors across the globe to defend their Olympic title, taking Gold in the SKUD18 class, Colin Harrison, Russel Boaden and Jonathan Harris who also won Gold in the Sonar Class, Tasmanian Matt Bugg took the Silver medal in the 2.4mR event.
The evening had extra announcements in stating an Australian Sailing Hall of Fame is to be established. Also announced - Andrew Plympton awarded Life Member status and Davies Gotze Awarded Life Member status.
You know it's going to be a fabulous night when there are boats on the SCG! - Liesl Tesch, October 29, 2016
2016 Australian Sailing Award winners
President’s Award - Liesl Tesch AM
Female Sailor of the Year - Lisa Darmanin (Waterhouse Darmanin Sailing )
Male Sailor of the Year - Tom Burton
Sailor of the Year with a Disability - Australian Paralympic Sailing Team
Youth Sailor of the Year - Alistair Young (Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club)
SOLAS Trusts Bravery Award - Gavin Reid (Clipper Round the World Yacht Race)
Lifetime Achievement - Alistair Murray (Ronstan Sailing)
Club of the Year - Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron
Volunteer of the Year - Louise Hosie
Coach of the Year - Michael Blackburn (AST)
Sport Promotion - Nicole Douglass (Adventures of a Sailor Girl)
Sport Professional of the Year - Katie Culbert (AST)
Instructor of the Year - Stephen Hart (Canberra Yacht Club) and Bob Cooper (Rye Yacht Club)
Official of the Year - Stephen Aulich (Sandringham Yacht Club )
Finalists in all category are listed below:
MALE SAILOR OF THE YEAR - FINALISTS
Mathew Belcher & Will Ryan
Tom Burton
Daniel Fitzgibbon
Lee Knapton & Ricky Bridge
Nathan Outteridge & Iain Jensen
Jason Waterhouse
FEMALE SAILOR OF THE YEAR - FINALISTS
Lisa Darmanin
Annabelle Davies & Hayley Clark
Nia Jerwood & Lisa Smith
Carrie Smith & Jaime Ryan
Ashley Stoddart
Liesl Tesch
SAILOR OF THE YEAR WITH A DISABILITY - FINALISTS
Australian Paralympic Sailing Team
Matt Bugg
Stewart Cathie
Daniel Fitzgibbon & Liesl Tesch
Colin Harrison, Jonathan Harris, Russell Boaden
YOUTH SAILOR OF THE YEAR - FINALISTS
Tom Crockett
Conor Nicholas
Nicholas Sharman & James Grogan
Zoe Thomson
Alistair Young
SPORT PROMOTION AWARD - FINALISTS
Nicole Douglass – Adventures of a Sailor Girl
The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club – Integrated disAbled Sailing
Woollahra Sailing Club – Splash Festival
SPORT PROFESSIONAL AWARD - FINALISTS
Katie Culbert
Nick Hutton
Mark Robinson
VOLUNTEER AWARD - FINALISTS
Stuart Hamilton (Tasmania)
Louise Hosie (Victoria)
Adrian Nicholson (South Australia)
CLUB OF THE YEAR - FINALISTS
Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (WA)
Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron (Queensland)
Sandy Bay Sailing Club (Tasmania)
OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR - FINALISTS
Stephen Aulich (Victoria)
Rosemary Collins (Queensland)
Kim Laurence (WA)
INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR - FINALISTS
Oliver Burnell (Tasmania)
Bob Cooper (Victoria)
Stephen Hart (ACT)
COACH OF THE YEAR - FINALISTS
Michael Blackburn (National)
Tristan Brown (WA)
Brady Lowe (Queensland)