Club of the Year (Category A) Finalists for 2025 Australian Sailing Awards
Four clubs are competing for the prestigious Club of the Year (Category A) at the 2025 Australian Sailing Awards.
Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, Royal Brighton Yacht Club, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club and Southport Yacht Club all have strong cases for the top honour.
The Club of the Year Award is split into two categories (Category A and Category B) in all States except Tasmania. The split allows clubs to be recognised and celebrated for their contribution to the sailing community regardless of size.
The clubs in the running will be judged on their contribution to the Australian Sailing Strategic Pillars of Grow, Support, Win and the six strategic foundations of: Future Focus, Diversity and Inclusion, Environmental sustainability, Innovation, Safety and Partnerships.
The nation’s peak sailing awards will be held at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney on Friday, November 14.
The Finalists:
Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club
Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club implemented a broad range of programs to grow and retain participation across all age groups and skill levels in 2025.
RFBYC served as the Organising Authority for a suite of successful regattas that contributed directly to membership engagement and growth. These events not only showcased the club's organisational expertise but also strengthened community involvement and volunteerism.
Major Events included International Classes Regatta (ICR), Dragon National Championships and Warren Jones International Youth Regatta.
Entry-level sailing programs (Tackers, OutThereSailing, Green/Orange Fleet) have been aligned in structure, duration, and fees, to help simplify access and allow instructors to progress sailors smoothly.
Events including; 100% Day, Club Best Regatta, and the Sports Boat Series have reactivated members and attracted younger sailors, particularly through the growing VX One fleet.
Twilight Sailing continues to thrive through enhanced hospitality and communication. Crew-finder tools and owner activation strategies have boosted participation and independence.
All Abilities Sailing is growing, supported by new infrastructure and hosting of the WA Para Sailing Championships alongside our premier dinghy regatta.
Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club
Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club’s sail training programs, including school and community initiatives via the Alfred's Community Sailing Program, introduced and trained 2,820 participants this year.
The Head Coach expanded the Off-the-Beach programs offering year-round training. Members were supported at numerous local and overseas regattas, leading to strong improvements in participation and results.
RPAYC sailors achieved major wins abroad. John Bacon claimed the 2024 5.5m World Championship, and Emma Rankin & Beau White took the F16 World Championship, returning two world titles to Australia.
The Youth Development Program, using the Elliott 7 keelboats, had a stellar year—winning the Harken International Match Racing Regatta, earning selection for the Governor’s Cup and representing Australia at the Youth Match Racing Worlds.
Women’s participation grew with a 20% increase in the Tuesday Twilight fleet and a 50% increase in the Gwen Slade Women’s Helm Regatta.
RPAYC deepened ties with regional clubs, supporting strong fleets at Sail Port Stephens, Newcastle Sailfest, Sydney Harbour Regatta, Pittwater Off-the-Beach Regatta, and the Broken Bay Inter Club Series.
Key regattas—including Pantaenius Pittwater Regatta, Harken International Youth Match Racing, Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Regatta, Centreboard OTB Pittwater Regatta and the Hansa World Championships, have featured extensive multi-platform coverage, including live video blogs, inshore/offshore videography, and international reach.
RPAYC expanded Learn to Sail, Youth Development, and Women’s Sailing programs, with community outreach supported through school visits, open days, and weekly Discover Sailing Sessions. These initiatives showcase pathways from beginner to world championship sailing, engaging families and newcomers alike.
Royal Brighton Yacht Club
The 150th Anniversary of Royal Brighton Yacht Club provided the opportunity for the club to promote and encourage participation in events to celebrate this milestone as well as regular club activities.
RBYC enjoyed a busy 2024/2025 season, hosting both national and state regattas as well as a World Championship.
Sail Melbourne is one of the largest annual ‘Off the Beach’ regattas in the southern hemisphere and is critical to the growth and success of junior and youth sailors, as well as enabling upskilling and mentoring of officials. 97 races were conducted over four days with over 200 entries. Over 550 people attended the event.
The 2025 Etchells World Championships were considered a great success by competitors, officials and spectators. The online coverage achieved a far greater audience than previous events, and the racing was considered world class.
As an accredited Australian Sailing Discover Sailing Centre, the club offers opportunities and experiences to suit all abilities.
Several members have enjoyed supporting the “Sailing Lifts your Spirits” program, an initiative providing sailing experiences to healthcare workers and first responders.
The Royal Brighton Yacht Club’s 150th Gala Ball was an unforgettable celebration of heritage, friendship and vision. This evening was a tribute to the thousands of people who built the Club from a humble shed into an internationally revered yacht club.
Southport Yacht Club
SYC aims to be internationally recognised as the premier yacht club serving the community, maintaining excellence in yachting, facilities, services and social activities.
Southport Yacht Club delivered a dynamic and strategically aligned calendar of events in 2024–25 that grew participation, supported volunteer and member engagement, and strengthened the club’s national profile.
A major highlight was the inaugural GCCM Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race, Queensland’s newest Category 2 offshore race. Developed entirely in-house, the event attracted over 20 entries, extensive media coverage, and strong sponsor engagement—providing new pathways for local sailors and a platform for volunteer training and race management development.
SYC hosted the 2024 Hansa Asia-Pacific Championships, reinforcing the club's commitment to inclusive and accessible sailing. With sailors from multiple countries and extensive community involvement, this event engaged new demographics and inspired many club members to train in inclusive event support roles.
The flagship The Yacht Sales Co Sail Paradise Regatta, incorporating the Queensland Yachting Championships, drew over 45 entries and showcased SYC’s leadership in regional regatta delivery. The event supported growth through feeder races, and daily social programming designed to engage families and convert visitors to members.
The club also hosted the Etchells Mid-Winter Nationals and Etchells QLD State Championships, bringing high-calibre one-design racing and enabling members to gain exposure through volunteering, jury, racing and shore-side roles.
Southport Yacht Club pushed for Growth in IRC racing with the approach to growth in this area and identified critical elements; World Class Racing and Personal interaction with potential new yachts and owners.
