The 2026 South Australian sailing awards were presented on Friday night the 18^th September at the Adelaide Sailing Club and were a great success. Sailors, coaches, instructors, officials and club members from all around South Australia gathered to celebrate those who made an exceptional contribution to the sport over the past year. Those nominated at the event have contributed to the ongoing success of sailing within the state, and shape who we are as a sport.

We also acknowledge our volunteers in action with Christie Sailing Club Rescue 1 Crew Rebecca Smith and Steve Blight assisting the offshore rescue of a overturned fishing boat. Rebecca and Steve took charge of those clinging to the upturned vessel, providing first aid and stabilising the group. We pay respect for the passing of Rebecca in January 2026 and is remembered as a remarkable person and volunteer.

Picture Peter Royle, Steve Blight and Brian Partridge.

Congratulations to all the winners:

Club of the Year Category A
Presented by Shevaun BrulandAustralian Sailing President
Winner Largs Bay Sailing Club
Commodore Steve Eshman and President Stuart Emery

Largs Bay Sailing Club continues it path to growth in sailing participation growing membership 12% . This was supported by expanded Discover Sailing Days, Start Sailing courses and investment in new Pacer training dinghies and rescue boats, providing safe, modern equipment and increased training capacity.

The club focused strongly on welcoming and retaining members through mentoring, family involvement, social activities and opportunities for volunteering, racing and cruising. Local schools, social media and community networks were used to promote sailing and attract new participants.

Largs Bay hosted the TS16 National Championship, multiple State Championships and the National Offshore Superboat Championships, bringing competitors and visitors to the club. Strong member results at Australian and State Championship level further showcased the club’s successful sailing pathways.

Community events, including the highly successful “Shipwrecked at Largs” event with more than 200 attendees, along with dance, yoga, fitness and live music activities, helped broaden community engagement and introduce new people to the club.

Club of the Year Category B
Presented by Shevaun Bruland Australian Sailing President and Brian Partridge South Australian Regional Advisory Committee

Winner Goolwa Regatta Yacht Club
Brian Partridge, Chris Chatburn, Anne Johnson and Niki Kennedy

Goolwa Regatta Yacht Club achieved significant membership growth in 2025–26, with a 30.5% increase in membership.

This growth was driven by strong participation pathways including Discover Sailing, SheSails, Sailability and an expanded Youth Teams Sailing Program, which added 20 junior members through local school partnerships. The club’s Crew Bank has also helped connect new sailors with skippers and remove barriers to getting involved.

A diverse year-round sailing and social program has supported ongoing participation, with racing, cruising, regattas, training, youth activities and social events catering to members of all ages and experience levels. Volunteer recognition and dedicated coordination have further strengthened the club’s culture and member retention.

GRYC also hosted major State, National and Interdominion Teams Sailing Championships, attracting around 200 junior sailors to each event, alongside Sailability, women’s windsurfing and other major regattas. These events, together with community functions and improved facilities, have increased the club’s profile and generated income for ongoing facility development.

Promotion through local media, social media, the club’s Regatta magazine, signage and quality merchandise has further increased community awareness and engagement, helping position GRYC as an active, welcoming and growing sailing club.

Female Sailor of the Year
Presented by Rob Human South Australian Regional Advisory Committee
Winner Sophia Homes from Brighton & Seacliff Yacht Club

Sophia demonstrates exceptional dedication to competitive sailing. Her commitment has delivered strong results, including first female at WA Youths and outstanding performances at Vic States, Sail Melbourne and ILCA Nationals. International competition at the Europa Cup and ILCA4 Europeans in Spain provided valuable learning experiences, narrowly missing Gold Fleet by just two points.

Passionate about developing across multiple classes, Sophia also enjoys sailing 420s, occasionally racing a 29er and learning bow work on a Blazer23. She is now focused on building the fitness and strength needed to transition permanently to the ILCA6, with the ILCA U21 World Championships in Sandringham next year as her first major goal.

Male Sailor of the Year
Presented by Rob Human South Australian Regional Advisory Committee
Winner Daniel Turner from Cruising Yacht Club of SA

Congratulations to Dan Turner, whose remarkable Mini Globe Race campaign has earned recognition for an exceptional contribution to Australian offshore sailing.

From building his own Class Globe 580 yacht, Immortal Game, in the family driveway to sailing it solo around the world, Dan demonstrated extraordinary determination, technical skill and resilience.

Dan completed the 28,500 nautical mile circumnavigation in 221 days, finishing 2nd overall against an international fleet. He was the first builder to complete the race and the only sailor in the top four to have both built and raced his own yacht.

As the only South Australian competitor and one of just two Australians to finish, Dan’s achievement is a remarkable milestone in small-boat offshore sailing.

Noakes Youth Sailor of the Year
Presented by Anthony WilsonSouth Australian Regional Advisory Committee
Winner Fraser Baker and Will Gaylard from Largs Bay Sailing Club and Cruising Yacht Club of SA

This dynamic due just love sailing, jumping from 420 to Fireball, to Sharpie and mixing it with match racing in the Elliott 7’s.

In 2025, they won the Youth Sail SA Event and represented Australia at the World Sailing Youth Sailing World Championships in Portugal.

They also became the first youth team to win the prestigious Fred Neill Match Racing Regatta as part of the CYCSA Youth Foundation Sailing Team with fellow finalist Calin Went.

Beyond competition, Fraser and Will give back to the sport as Learn to Sail instructors and volunteer umpires in School Team Sailing, inspiring the next generation of sailors and volunteers.

Team of the Year
Presented by Anthony Wilson South Australian Regional Advisory Committee
Winner Ben Hinks and Fallon Katz from Brighton & Seacliff Yacht Club

Ben Hinks and Fallon Katz are mixed 470 team with four consecutive Junior 470 National titles and a gold fleet race line-honours result at this year’s Junior Worlds, they have shown elite technical skill and racing ability.

Their long partnership has built trust, communication and composure, while their self-funded international campaign shows the commitment required for LA 2028.

Ben and Fallon have sustained demanding international regattas, continued to improve, and given back by supporting junior sailors at their club.

Their results are strong, but their story is stronger: one committed partnership, built patiently over years, now delivering breakthrough performance on the road to LA 2028.

Official of the Year
Presented by Lisa BrockSouth Australian Regional Advisory Committee
Winner Malcolm Hughes from Adelaide Sailing Club

Malcolm is a highly respected South Australian sailing official who has made an outstanding contribution to race management in South Australia. He has supported clubs, class associations and major regattas through his expertise in event planning, race procedures, documentation, scoring, communications and volunteer coordination. He is also committed to mentoring and developing future race officials through seminars, presentations and practical guidance.

Malcolm’s generosity in sharing his knowledge has strengthened race management teams and helped improve the standard of sailing events across South Australia. His sustained leadership, expertise and exceptional voluntary service make him a highly deserving recipient of the Australian Sailing Official of the Year Award.

Instructor of the Year
Presented by Brian PartridgeSouth Australian Regional Advisory Committee
Winner Ella Anderson
(Presented to Ella’s Mum’s Eileen Anderson)

Boosted junior retention and engagement: Transformed the Green Fleet junior program by focusing on enjoyment and inclusivity, successfully turning first-time participation into long-term engagement for young sailors.

Cultivated parent and community involvement: Strengthened the club’s foundation by actively engaging Green Fleet parents, shifting their roles from passive drop-offs to active participants in the program.

Co-coordinated major youth events: Took on shared leadership with Joal Mackenzie to co-coordinate the club's Youth Championships, collaborating directly with Australian Sailing to deliver a first-class competitive experience.

Expanded technical qualifications: Broadened her instructional capabilities and supported the club's on-water safety operations by earning her Powerboat Instructor accreditation.

Championed female participation and competitive sailing: Maintained strong credibility as an active competitive sailor, racing Sharpies with Chris Todd and participating in the SheSails group at the Goolwa Regatta Yacht Club to promote women in the sport.

Sport Professional Award
Winner Joal Mackenzie from Brighton & Seacliff Yacht Club

Drove exceptional participation volume: Led the BSYC Sailing School to record approximately 914 participant engagements from September 2025 to June 2026 across diverse school, youth, holiday, and windsurfing programs.

Expanded diverse training pathways: Created and expanded specialized activities—including Learn to Windsurf, teen and girls clinics, and a six-week adult sailing transition program designed to bridge the gap between learning and club membership.

Innovated the "Tacks & Tikka" initiative: Removed barriers to entry by launching a popular Wednesday evening program combining rigged club-owned Pacers with the club’s curry night, successfully drawing lapsed sailors back to the sport.

Contributed to club-wide strategic reviews: Elevated broader operations by evaluating the club's RIB fleet and participating in the Sailing Operations Alignment Review to optimize storage, access, volunteer workloads, and training structures.

Developed youth events and leadership: Supported youth coaching by co-coordinating the Youth Championships alongside Ella Anderson and training young instructors, earning the confidence for his team to lead Saturday morning sailing operations.

Volunteer of the Year
Presented by Peter Royle and Brian PartridgeSouth Australian Regional Advisory Committee
Winner Chris Chatburn from Goolwa Regatta Yacht Club

We are delighted to recognise Chris as our Volunteer of the Year, celebrating her outstanding contribution to the club and its volunteer community.

Chris has transformed volunteer management into a strategic focus, establishing “Volunteers & Club Culture” as the first pillar of the GRYC Strategic Plan 2026–2036.

She has rebuilt and expanded our volunteer community by re-engaging past volunteers, encouraging new participation and creating an environment where people feel welcome and valued. Her ability to understand members’ skills, interests and confidence has enabled her to match volunteers with roles where they can thrive.

Chris has also strengthened our volunteer capability through training in First Aid, Marine Radio and Race Officer accreditation, while mentoring new volunteers with patience and care.

Importantly, she has helped create a culture of recognition through public acknowledgements, the Volunteer of the Year Award and the Celebration of Volunteers social night.

What truly sets Chris apart is the warmth, humility and positivity she brings to everything she does. She makes people feel welcome, capable and valued.

She Sails Award
Presented by Lisa BrockSouth Australian Regional Advisory Committee
Winner South Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta (Committee)

SAWKR 2025 has continued its strong growth since winning the National SheSails Award, with 42% more sailors, 52% more boats and 120% more loaned boats. The regatta is expanding access and leadership opportunities for women of all ages and experience levels, supported by volunteers and sailing clubs across Australia. It demonstrates sustainable, measurable growth in women’s sailing.

Innovation Award 
Presented by Lisa BrockSouth Australian Regional Advisory Committee
Winner Matthew Young from Adelaide Sailing Club

ASC Adventure Club is an inclusive, family-focused program that introduces people to sailing through fun, friendship and belonging rather than formal training or racing. It engages children, parents, siblings and volunteers through sailing, beach activities and themed events.

The program has increased participation, volunteering and family engagement while creating a low-cost, flexible pathway into sailing. Using existing boats, facilities and volunteers, it is practical, sustainable and easily scalable to other clubs.

Lifetime Achievement Award
Presented by Peter Royle and Brian PartridgeSouth Australian Regional Advisory Committee

Awarded John Woolatt from Largs Bay Sailing Club
John has dedicated over 60 years of continuous service to the sport of sailing, significantly impacting the community at local, state, and national levels through his leadership and passion.

Over 60 years of continuous service to Largs Bay Sailing Club (LBSC): Serving in multiple critical leadership and administrative roles since the 1960s, including an 18-year tenure on the Management Committee (2008–2026).

Four decades of dedicated coaching and sail training: Introducing thousands of young people to the sport through weekly club courses, Yachting Australia schemes, and specialized programs for local secondary schools and the SA Department of Education.

Extensive statewide leadership as Executive Officer of Yachting SA: Managing and administering the sport across South Australia for 13 years (1995–2008).

Decades of committee service and national representation: Actively contributing to Yachting SA and Yachting Australia committees for nearly 30 years (1990–2019), shaping youth development, qualification programs, and race officiating.

Key administrator for major national and state regattas: Spending over 20 years managing critical race logistics, safety, and official documentation for prestigious events like the Australian Youth Championship and the Stonehaven Cup.

Class Association leadership: Serving as President and Secretary for both the Tasar Association of SA and the National E Association between 1980 and 1998.

Nearly 50 years of active competitive sailing experience: Racing a vast array of dinghies and keelboats in everything from routine club events to World Championships.

John’s commitment to the sport of sailing has been selfless and seemingly endless – his lifetime of commitment stands as

a model of volunteer excellence and deserves the highest recognition.

For the photo gallery click HERE
The national Awards will occur on Friday the 30^th of October at the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour. Register your attendance HERE