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Jervis and Louis Tilly, Will Troop at the November 2022 NSW WASZP and Wingfoil Slalom Championships, hosted by PBSC and RPAYC. Photo: A J GUesdon
''The past 12 months have seen Louis gain many first and second places at State, National and International levels in the WASZP as well as representing the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) in Match Racing. Louis has instigated and instructed at several “Try a WASZP” days at the RPAYC. This has been one of the reasons behind the strong growth in the Class on Pittwater.
At SailGP Inspire in Sydney, not only did he come first on the water, he formed a team that won the media award through their efforts promoting the event and WASZP class on social media.'' Australian Sailing NSW/ACT said in making the announcement
Lisa Darmanin - Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club, PBSC and RPAYC - was announced as the winner the Sports Promotion Award for the 2023 NSW/ ACT Sailing Awards.
''Through SailGP broadcasts and SailGP Social Media, and her detailed Technical Tours on social media, Lisa is making an impact projecting a strong, authoritative female Australian voice to an International Audience. Lisa’s unique experience as an Olympic Nacra 17 Sailor together with her polished presenting skills has enabled her to bring an insight into the technicalities of high-performance foiling to a new generation of fans.''
Lisa presenting for SailGP. Photo: SailGP
Jervis Tilly - Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club - was also a finalist for the Sport Promotion Award. Jervis is the current President of the Australian WASZP Association.
Middle Harbor Yacht Club's Zoe Thomson won Female Sailor of the Year Award for the 2023 NSW/ ACT Sailing Awards.
Zoe has achieved highly competitive results in European ILCA regattas over the last year. She is an outstanding human in and out of sailing. She gives back to the community and shows sportsmanship and excellence when she is competing overseas representing Australia.
Zoe's win is the fifth year in a row local women have taken out the Female Sailor of the year award; Nina Curtis won in 2022, Lisa Darmanin in 2021 and 2020 and Annie Wilmot & Natasha Bryant both won in 2019.
Congratulations to Tom Slingsby for winning the Male Sailor of the Year Award for the 2023 NSW/ ACT Sailing Awards!
Tom Slingsby led Australia to an unprecedented three-peat in Season 3 of SailGP when they won the Grand Final in San Francisco. No other team has won a SailGP series thanks to Tom's leadership of the Australian team who have become ruthless competitors under the pressure of the winner-takes-all Grand Final. His team won 4 of the 11 regattas throughout the season.
This is the third year in a row Tom has taken out the Male Sailor of the Year Award.
The Australia SailGP Team maintains its first place position with 26 points, ahead of Spain in second with 24 in Season 4 despite not winning Saint-Tropez over the 9-10 September weekend, coming 2nd to Great Britain, their first win since Season 2, and coming 3rd behind Spain and Denmark in the Los Angles leg. The event moves to Taranto, Italy, September 23-24, return to Cádiz, located in the province of Andalucía in southwest Spain, on October 14-15.
On January 13-14, SailGP kicks off 2024 in style with the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix presented by Abu Dhabi Sports Council.
SailGP returns to Sydney on February 24- 25, 2024, to race on Sydney Harbour.
SailGP's fourth season spans 12 events in iconic destinations around the world, with Auckland marking the eighth stop on the calendar, running March 23-24. The tour then heads to Bermuda, followed by Canada, New York and finishes in San Francisco in July 2024 for the Grand Final.
The the Team of the Year Award has been won by Logan Radford and Joel Beashel of Gosford SC / Middle Harbour YC and South Lake Macquarie ASC. Joel won the Youth Sailor of the Year in 2021 along with Marshall Day.
Logan and Joel have won multiple NSW state and National titles in the Flying Ant, and they are the current NSW East Coast, NSW Youth, NSW State and Australian champions in the 29er class. In July they won the Typhoon UK 29er Nationals/Open Championship.
Both Logan and Joel give back to their sport coaching the next generation of sailors at their clubs.
Pittwaterians would recognise the 'Beashel' surname - Joel being the fifth generation of the family to excel on the water and a grandson of Ken Beashel. Ken and his wife Barbara had two sons, Colin and Adam, and a daughter, Joanne.
Colin Beashel crewed on the winning America's Cup team Australia II in 1983 and competed at six Olympics between 1984 and 2004, winning bronze in 1996. He became, jointly with Brazilian Torben Grael, the eighth sailor to compete at six Olympics. He helmed Australia Challenge at the 1992 Louis Vuitton Cup. Colin carried the Australian flag at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Athens games.
Adam is best known for being part of Team New Zealand at the 2003 America’s Cup and strategist for Emirates Team New Zealand at the 2007 America’s Cup, however he was also a 49er sailor who, together with Teague Czislowski, came second to Chris Nicholson and Ed Smyth at the 1999 World Championship. Adam and Teague then won the national selection process for the 49er class at the 2000 Olympics, but in controversial circumstances, the Australian Yachting Federation nominated Nicholson and Daniel Phillips for the sole Olympic spot.
Adam has also had stints in 18 footers, contesting the 1996-97 Grand Prix Sailing season, with US sailors Morgan Larson and Kevin Hall, on Moore, and in 2007-08 with Phil Hebden and Cam McDonald on Club Marine at the Australian 18 Footers League.
Joanne is President at Sydney 38 Class Association, a role she has excelled at for years.
Congratulations to Lachlan Clear for winning the Para Sailor of the Year Award for the 2023 NSW/ ACT Sailing Awards!
Lachlan is a Middle Harbour Yacht Club sailor and founding member of Deaf Sailing NSW. A wheelchair user with Cerebral Palsy and also profoundly deaf, Lachlan maintains a strong commitment to competitive sailing. This season he has contested the NSW and VIC Hansa Class Championships and travelled to Hiroshima in October for the Asia-Pacific Hansa Class Championships and Para Sailing World Championships in the Liberty. He is the driving force behind NSW Deaf Sailing which has run a number of training days for novice and developing deaf sailors.
The 2023 Coach of the Year Award has gone to Michael Wiley of the Richmond River Sailing & Rowing Club.
Michael has created a coaching program that is unique in Australia. Focussing on twin wire skiffs the program takes beginners straight to skiff sailing and helps them become highly competent at a national level. This program has increased the club’s membership especially in younger and female members.
2023 Instructor of the Year was awarded to Natasha Nisbet of the Woollahra Sailing Club.
Becoming an instructor in the beginning of 2021, Natasha has taken to the role with incredible talent and commitment, becoming one of the most respected staff members within Woollahra Sailing Club. She was voted WSC instructor of the year 2023.
Congratulations to Damien Boldyrew, Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, for winning the Official of the Year Award for the 2023 NSW/ ACT Sailing Awards!
Damien possesses a wealth of knowledge and expertise that he generously shares with the sailing community. His passion for the sport is infectious, inspiring countless individuals to pursue excellence in their roles as umpires, judges, and as participants. He selflessly offers his expertise to deliver masterclasses at multiple local clubs (including at NCYC, LMYC, RMYCT), allowing club members to upskill and enrich their understanding of sailing principles.
Congratulations to Wilfred Sharland, Speers Point Amateur Sailing Club, for winning the Volunteer of the Year Award for the 2023 NSW/ ACT Sailing Awards!
SPASC relies solely on volunteer members to fulfil the many roles needed to support club activities and Programs. Bill Sharland, has been at the core of many of our new programs and innovations over the last couple of years, and 2022/23 in particular. As Secretary and Public Officer, Bill was already extended, but he has also developed the club’s Strategic Plan, Safety Management Plan, applied for grants, writes the club e-News, set up the club’s RevSport site and is the Discover Sailing Centre Principle.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Steven Hatch, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club.
Steve became interested in the racing rules at a young age. He became a National Judge in the early 90’s and sits on the Protest Committees at Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, CYCA, RSYS and regularly assists many other clubs with rules issues and hearings.
Steve became a World Sailing International Judge and International Umpire in 1995 and an International Race Officer in 1998. He is the equal 4th longest serving International Umpire at World Sailing and has been appointed to a number of World Sailing Committees over the years including Match and Teams Committees and the associated Rules and Calls working parties.
Richard Hudson - Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club - and John Kirkjian - Cruising Yacht Club of Australia- were also finalists.
The SheSails Award was won by Nicole Douglass, Canberra Yacht Club / Jervis Bay Sailing Club. Nicole is an inspiring representative for women in sailing through her media company Adventures of a Sailor Girl, covering many aspects of women in sailing. Nicole consistently interviews female sailors at regattas around the world and shares their stories.
Dillon McGrath won the Sports Professional Award for the 2023 NSW/ ACT Sailing Awards. Dillon has been an exceptionally active member, participant and contributor to the Canberra Yacht Club and, in particular, the Canberra Yacht Club Sailing School since joining the CYC in 2009 at the age of 13.
The 2023 Sustainability Award went to the RSYS Sustainability Committee. The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron (RSYS), embraces World Sailing’s clear and ambitious vision to protect the waters of the world and use their reach and influence to create a sustainable future for sailing and protection of the waters of the world.
Congratulations to Woollahra Sailing Club for winning Club of the Year (Category A) Award for the 2023 NSW/ ACT Sailing Awards!
Woollahra Sailing Club has undertaken a number of endeavours in the past 12 months. They have worked with many schools in the area to engage students in sailing through training programs and camps. They have been the host of many national and state championships including OK Dinghy, Finn, 29ers and Sail Sydney.
Congratulations to Richmond River Sailing & Rowing Club for winning the Club of the Year (Category B) Award for the 2023 NSW/ ACT Sailing Awards!
This volunteer-run club runs a very successful program coaching people with little or no sailing background to become crews, and subsequently skippers, of high-performance twin wire skiffs. The club has developed a program that attracts and retains participants, with a large number of women becoming competent skiff sailors.
The Australian Sailing Awards have been the premier off-water celebration for sailing in Australia for many decades. The first Australian Yachtsman of the Year Award was presented in 1962 to Jock Sturrock, four-time Olympic representative, Olympic bronze medallist and skipper of the America's Cup challenger 'Gretel'.
Winners of the State Awards go on to be nominees for the National Australian Sailing Awards each year.
NSW/ACT is the state office for Australian Sailing supporting Clubs and their members.
