A record-breaking SailGP season, a dominant return to ILCA 7 competition and a rising Nacra 17 program headline the Coach of the Year finalists at the 2026 Australian Sailing Awards. 

The strong field of finalists includes Ben Durham (WA), back-to-back winner Rafael Trujillo OLY (QLD) and Darren Bundock OLY (NSW/ACT).  

The nation’s peak sailing awards will be held at the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour on Friday, October 30, with the winners set to join an illustrious honour roll including Olympic and world champions and legends of the sport. 

The Finalists: 

Darren Bundock OLY 

Darren Bundock has guided the Australian Sailing Team’s Nacra 17 squad into one of the most competitivenational squadswithin the class, with Australian crews finishing fourth at back-to-back World Championships. 

Rhiannan Brown and Brin Liddell placed fourth at the 2025 World Championships, before Archie Gargett and Sarah Hoffmann narrowly missed the podium in fourth at the 2026 Worlds, with Brown and Liddell also inside the top 10. Three of the squad’s four crews recorded top-10 finishes at major international regattas during the season. 

Across the European season, the squad also delivered fourth (Brown/Liddell) and eighth (Gargett/Hoffmann) at the 2026 European Championships, bronze for Ruben and Rita Booth and fourth for Brown/Liddell at Kiel Week, and seventh and 11th at French Olympic Week. 

A four-time Male Sailor of the Year himself, Darren has led the way among Australia’s national coaches in developing more effective on-water communication systems and embracing technology. He generously shares knowledge across multihull and foiling disciplines. 

Known for his calm, understated leadership, Darren gives thoughtful feedback that builds on athletes’ strengths and helps them turn new insights into lasting habits. 

Ben Durham 

As Head Coach of the Bonds Flying Roos SailGP Team, Ben Durham helped guide the team to a historic run in 2026, becoming the first team in SailGP history to win three consecutive events, in Rio, Bermuda and New York. 

That streak followed victory at the New Zealand Sail Grand Prix in Auckland and a second-place finish at the Australian Sail Grand Prix in Perth after they finished second overall in the 2025 SailGP Championship. These results demonstrate the consistency, resilience and strong team culture that Ben has helped develop. 

Ben’s coaching also extends across leading international grand prix and one-design circuits, including a win on the Cape 31 International Circuit, second at the TP52 Super Series in Italy, fifth at the RC44 World Championship with Artemis Racing and fourth on the Swan 50 circuit with One Racing. 

In 2026, Ben led the SailGP Development Sailor Program, mentoring Zoe Thomson, Zoe Dransfield, Grae Morris, ShaunConnor, Harry Price and Jack Ferguson. He provided these emerging athletes with invaluable exposure to a professional sailing environment. 

A two-time Coach of the Year, Ben is also a volunteer board member of Swan River Sailing, supporting community and youth-at-risk programs, and helped connect the inaugural SailGP event in Fremantle with local schools, clubs and community groups. 

Rafael Trujillo OLY 

Back-to-back Coach of the Year Rafael Trujillo guided Matt Wearn through one of the most dominant campaigns of his career, as the two-time Olympic champion returned to international ILCA 7 competition in 2025–26. 

Under Rafa’s guidance, Matt won every major regatta he contested, including the Princesa Sofía Regatta, French Olympic Week and the San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta on the Los Angeles 2028 racecourse, and claimed his seventh Australian ILCA National Championship. 

Rafa has also maintained one of the strongest and deepest ILCA squads in the world. Zac Littlewood finished fourth at the 2026 European Championships, while Ethan McAullay placed fourth at the 2025 European Championships, seventh at French Olympic Week and 12th at the 2026 Europeans. 

Since taking over the Australian ILCA 7 program from Michael Blackburn in 2020, Rafa has continued Australia’s remarkable legacy in one of the world’s most competitive Olympic classes, while building the depth and culture to sustain it. 

Always ready to share his knowledge beyond his own class, Rafa is committed to continual learning, both through formal development and reflection on his day-to-day coaching. 

Previous winners: 

2024-25 Rafael Trujillo 

2023-24 Rafael Trujillo 

2022-23 Ben Durham 

2021-22 Ben Durham 

2020-21 Michael Blackburn 

2019-20 Michael Blackburn 

2018-19 Michael Blackburn (AST/NSW) 

2017-18 Michael Blackburn (AST/NSW) 

2015-16 Michael Blackburn (AST/NSW) 

2014-15 Tristan Brown (Western Australia) 

2013-14 Larry Cargill (NSW)