Australian Sailing is proud to announce the finalists for the 2020 National Australian Sailing Awards. The 2019-20 sailing season was one of dizzying highs and challenging lows for Australian sailors both home and abroad. A mammoth Summer of Sailing saw Australia’s brightest stars compete against the world’s best in Melbourne, which was quickly overshadowed by devastating bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite these challenges, nominations were put forward in record numbers for the sport’s peak awards with an unprecedented 29 nominations for the prestigious Club of the Year award.  Melbourne’s Summer of Sailing proved to be a national effort as sailors, officials and volunteers came from all over the country, and the world, to help deliver 27 National and World Championships.  New and emerging Australian Sailing initiatives including OutThere Sailing, SailPass and SheSails allowed many of our clubs and Discover Sailing Centres to further demonstrate the incredible work they do.

The Laser Class capped off a huge year following eleven major regattas over summer, including four World Championships, with finalists across multiple categories.  The Coach of the Year category is made up entirely of Laser coaches including, Ben Walkemeyer (Western Australian Laser Association) and Mark Tonner-Joyce (Victorian Laser Association) and Michael Blackburn (Australian Sailing Team).  Other Laser sailors nominated this year include Michael Compton (Youth Sailor of the Year), Matt Wearn (Male Sailor of the Year), Mara Stransky (Female Sailor of the Year) and James and Chris Mitchell (Volunteer of the Year).

The Female Sailor of the Year category is an all Australian Sailing Team (AST) affair, with Lisa Darmanin (Nacra 17), Haylee Outteridge (Nacra 17) and Mara Stransky (Laser Radial) named as the finalists. Darmanin and Stransky have both been named members of the Australian Olympic Team for next year’s Tokyo Games.

The Male Sailor of the Year category is also in hot contention with all the finalists being previous winners of the accolade. Last Year’s winners Mat Belcher and Will Ryan (Men’s 470) are up against fellow Tokyo Olympic Team member Matt Wearn (Laser Standard) and Tom Slingsby (Moth and SailGP).

This year, due to COVID, the physical awards ceremony will not be held. However, the winners will be announced online via Australian Sailing’s social media channels from Monday 19^th October.  Three new inductees to the Australian Sailing Hall of Fame, delivered in conjunction with the Australian National Maritime Museum will also be announced with the hope to celebrate them in person at a later date. The Hall of Fame is now in its fourth year, as it aims to celebrate the sport’s history and those who have made significant contributions to our rich history.

2020 Australian Sailing Awards Finalists

Male Sailor of the Year

Mat Belcher OAM and Will Ryan – Southport Yacht Club / Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron / Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron

Tom Slingsby OAM - Gosford Sailing Club

Matthew Wearn - Fremantle Sailing Club

Female Sailor of the Year

Lisa Darmanin - Manly 16’ Skiff Sailing Club

Haylee Outteridge - Wangi Amateur Sailing Club

Mara Stransky - Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron

Sailor of the Year with a disability

Robert Crofts - Royal Perth Yacht Club

Ross Manning - Southport Yacht Club

Chris Symonds - Wynyard Yacht Club

Youth Sailor of the Year

Michael Compton - Fremantle Sailing Club/South of Perth Yacht Club

Ethan Galbraith & Charlie Zeeman - Sandy Bay Sailing Club

Daniel Links & Jack Ferguson - Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club

Scott Whitehead - Townsville Yacht Club

Offshore Sailor of the Year

Matt Allen AM - Cruising Yacht Club of Australia

Anthony Kirke - Fremantle Sailing Club

John Warlow - Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron

Sport Promotion Award

Cruising Yacht Club of Australia & Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania

Jodie Kennedy - Townsville Yacht Club

Royal Geelong Yacht Club

Sports Professional Award

Jack Buchan - Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club

Sharon Skinner - Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club

David White - Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club

Sustainability Award

Ocean Crusaders

Ocean Racing Club of Victoria

SheSails Award

Clare Alexander - Double Bay Sailing Club

Chelsea Hall - Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club

Danielle Kennedy - Mooloolaba Yacht Club

Volunteer Award

Leandra Boothby - Townsville Sailing Club

James & Chris Mitchell - Sandringham Yacht Club

Brad Smith & Neal Baulch - Gove Boat Club

Club of the Year

Mounts Bay Sailing Club

Royal Geelong Yacht Club

Southport Yacht Club

Official of the Year

Stephen Aulich - Sandringham Yacht Club

Lisa Brock - Brighton & Seacliff Yacht Club

Ed Vincent - Darwin Sailing Club

Coach of the Year

Michael Blackburn - Australian Sailing Team

Mark Tonner-Joyce - Victorian Laser Association

Ben Walkemeyer - Western Australian Laser Association

Instructor of the Year

Kate Hannah – The Boatshed/Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club

Diane Kelsey- Townsville Sailing Club

Brett Yardley - Brighton & Seacliff Yacht Club