Australian Sailing NSW & ACT Awards 2023 Finalists Announced
On Friday September 1 Australian Sailing announced the finalists for the 2023 NSW/ACT Sailing Awards.
The organisers state they received 89 nominations across the 16 categories. Nominations have come from clubs big and small and from members across the state and territory.
They include Australian Sailing Team members, volunteers who put in incredible hours to help their clubs, professionals who are working for the sport and the promoters who use technology and social media to make sure sailing is seen by all.
The finalists include a number of people from or associated with local sailing.
The announcement of the winners will take place on Saturday 16th September at the CYCA.
2023 NSW/ACT Sailing Award Finalists
Female Sailor of the Year
- Lisa Darmanin - Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club
- Zoe Thomson - Middle Harbour Yacht Club
- Brooke Wilson - Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron
Male Sailor of the Year
- David Chapman - Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron
- Sam Newton - Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
- Tom Slingsby - Woollahra Sailing Club
Team of the Year
- Logan Radford & Joel Beashel - Gosford SC / Middle Harbour YC & Sth Lake Macquarie ASC
- Jim Colley & Shaun Connor - Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club / Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club
- Sean Langman- Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
Para Sailor of the Year
- Sarah Plunkett – Dobroyd Aquatic Club
- Lachlan Clear - Middle Harbour Yacht Club
- Allister Peek - Canberra Yacht Club
Youth Sailor of the Year
- Spencer McKay & Benedict McKay - Woollahra Sailing Club / Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron
- Logan Radford & Joel Beashel - Gosford SC / Middle Harbour YC & Sth Lake Macquarie ASC
- Louis Tilly - Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club
Coach of the Year
- Haylee Outteridge – Wangi Amateur Sailing Club
- Michael Wiley – Richmond River Sailing & Rowing Club
- Rafael Trujillo - Australian Sailing Team
Instructor of the Year
- Dennis Hume - Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club
- Natasha Nisbet - Woollahra Sailing Club
- Claudia Thackray - Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron
Official of the Year
- Sarah Ross – Manly Yacht Club
- Damien Boldyrew - Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club
- Denis Thompson – Pete’s Yacht Club
Volunteer of the Year
- Karen Savery – Balmoral Sailing Club
- Wilfred Sharland – Speers Point Amateur Sailing Club
- David McCracken - Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
Lifetime Achievement Award
- John Kirkjian - Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
- Steven Hatch - Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club / Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
- Richard Hudson - Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club
SheSails Award
- Vicki Kornman - Lane Cove 12ft Sailing Skiff Club / Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron
- Nicole Douglass - Canberra Yacht Club / Jervis Bay Sailing Club
- Kathy Veel & Bridget Canham - Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
Sport Professional Award
- Nadine Steenson – Belmont 16ft Sailing Club
- Jordan Reece - Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
- Dillon McGrath - Canberra Yacht Club
Sport Promotion Award
- Jervis Tilly - Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club
- Lisa Darmanin - Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club
- Paul O'Rourke - Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club
Sustainability Award
- Will be announced on the night.
Club of the Year Award Category A
- Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
- Woollahra Sailing Club
- Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club
Club of the Year Award Category B
- Hunters Hill Sailing Club
- Speers Point Amateur Sailing Club
- Richmond River Sailing and Rowing Club
Lifetime achievement award: Richard Hudson of RPAYC: In the Rolex Sydney Hobart Divisional winner was Pretty Woman - Corinthian PHS. Richard Hudson steered his Farr 45, Pretty Woman, to Corinthian PHS honours in the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Mr. Hudson has been a great proponent of youth sailing and his 2022 crew again paired some older and more seasoned sailors with youngsters, including many first timers - 8 of Pretty Woman's 12 crew members were aged 30 or under. There were 8 men and 4 women on board. A cohesive crew celebrated vibrantly on King's Pier Marina in Hobart, also toasting to a 5th place finish in IRC Division 2, 2nd in the Corinthian IRC division and 29th place overall. Photo: Salty Dingo