Three clubs are competing for the prestigious Club of the Year (Category A) at the 2026 Australian Sailing Awards. 

Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron (VIC), defending champion Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (WA) and Whitsunday Sailing Club (QLD) 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 Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour on Friday, October 30. 

The Finalists: 

Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron 

Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron delivered a big season on and off the water in 2025–26, with 68 keelboat races, 78 off-the-beach races, 24 sports boat races and eight regattas attracting 284 yachts and 850 competitors. 

A season highlight was hosting the RS Aero Australian Championships, which drew 114 entries to become the largest RS Aero regatta in the Southern Hemisphere and helped double the BYS RS Aero fleet from 10 to 20 boats. Planning is now under way for the RS Aero World Championships in January 2027. BYS also hosted and supported class events for Minnows, Adams 10s, J/70s and Contenders, 

The club’s 2,411 members are supported by clear pathways from Tackers, junior, youth and adult sail training, all female groups, keelboat and powerboat training, and year-round racing opportunities across off the beach and keelboat fleets.Youth development continues to grow strongly through structured coaching, mentoring and clear pathways in the J/70 and RS Aero fleets. 

Retention is a key focus, with introductory programs linked directly to membership and regular participation. New members receive sailing training as part of their subscription, helping convert new sailors into active participants. 

Almost 400 volunteers contributed 1,400 race management duties during the season, supported by a new subscription rebate scheme, mentoring by experienced race officers and nine race management workshops. Sailability has run at BYS for 23 years with 30 volunteers. 

A key outcome of promotional activity has been participation growth across club racing, regattas and training programs. By actively promoting race management training, instructor development and volunteer opportunities, BYS has strengthened its volunteer base and elevated the capability of race management teams. 

BYS has also led on environmental sustainability, securing Clean Marina certification, installing a solar array following a professional energy audit, and eliminating single-use plastics across dining and regatta operations. 

Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club 

Defending Club of the Year Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club grew its membership by over 9% in 2025–26. The Club provides welcoming entry points through Discover Sailing activities, training courses, open events and member referrals. New Members Nights help introduce members to the Club’s facilities, activities and community, while creating opportunities to meet other members and become involved. 

RFBYC’s 2025 International Classes Regatta attracted more than 170 boats across 13 classes and, for the first time, incorporated the Australian Para Sailing Championships for the Hansa class, and after positive feedback the 2026 ICR will once again host the Australian Para Sailing Championships. 

The club also hosted the Warren Jones International Match Racing Regatta, the Australian 2.4mR National Championship and the Etchells National Championship, alongside participation-focused events including 100% Day, the Club Best Regatta, the Sports Boat Series and the College Cup. 

As an accredited Discover Sailing Centre, RFBYC offers Tackers, dinghy, keelboat, powerboat, windsurfing and adult learn to sail programs, while SailLink connects crew with boat owners and the BW8 Youth Keelboat Program creates a pathway from dinghies for youth sailors. Wednesday Twilight Sailing remains one of the Club’s most successful participation programs, completing all 25 scheduled sails. 

The Club celebrates achievements at every level, from first-time sailors to Australian Team representatives, creating pride and inspiring others to become involved.The #TeamRFBYC campaign celebrates members competing and volunteering around the world.  

 Every two years, RFBYC selects a local organisation to support through fundraising and awareness activities. TheClub currently supports Spectrum Space, reflecting its commitment to inclusion and community wellbeing.  

Strong governance enables the Club to confidently deliver local, national and international sailing events. The Club has nine sub-committees and a fourteen-person board. For the fourthAGM in a row the Ordinary General Committee positions have been a contested election, illustrating great depth inthese voluntary governance roles.  

Whitsunday Sailing Club 

Whitsunday Sailing Club grew its membership by 21% to 2,000 members in 2025–26, transforming its image into a fun and welcoming club for a significantly younger crowd. 

Music and lifestyle events, including Sunset Sessions and the Bloom and Latin festivals, brought new faces to the club, who were then introduced to sailing in the Whitsundays through Discover Sailing Days.  

Skill-sharing afternoons and monthly “Bubbles and Bowlines” sessionbuild skills while creating a deliberate social scene around sailing for their members. This, in combination with a Wednesday night raffle and Friday Kids Sailing Raffle, gives members regular social occasions and a direct stake in the sailing they love, with proceeds shared between the club’s Offshore and Cruise Sailing programs. 

The club expanded its Discover Sailing Program into school-holiday Intense Camps for Tackers, Green Fleet and Adult Learn to Sail, backed by additional boats and two coaches and multiple instructors,this, alongside formal school sport programs act as great recruitment tools for the club.   

Its flagship Airlie Beach Race Week, whose solar-powered event operations won the 2025 Innovation Award, remains the centrepiece of a busy year-round calendar alongside a full season of Wednesday Twilight Racing, regular offshore and cruising events, and off-the-beach sailing. 

New Volunteer Coordinator and Volunteer Assistant roles give every volunteer a personal training pathway, with free in-house courses in race management, rescue boat operation and first aid. 

Looking ahead, a new marina and hardstand is being designed with personal lifting cranes at each berth so sailors of all abilities can get on the water independently. The club also hosts Sailability Whitsundays and partners with Ocean Crusaders on waterway clean-ups. 

The club takes a multi-channel approach to promotion, designed to reach both existing members and the wider community and to convert local interest into active engagement with the club.