Australia’s most outstanding sailors, clubs and contributors are being recognised for their results and hard work during the 2025-2026 sailing season with the announcement of the National Finalists for the 2026 Australian Sailing Awards.

The night will be headlined by the Female and Male Sailor of the Year categories, which are stacked with some of Australia’s finest sailing talent. 

The Female Sailor of the Year finalists include Jiang Lin (NSW/ACT), Stacey Jackson (QLD) and Zoe Thomson (WA), all of whom produced world-class achievements during the nomination period.

In 2025, Lin became the first woman to skipper an overall winner of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, while Jackson made sailing history as part of the first all-female crew to complete a non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the globe for the Jules Verne Trophy. Australian Sailing Team (AST) ILCA 6 athlete Zoe Thomson OLY put together another consistent season, rising to seventh in the world rankings as she campaigns towards LA2028.

One of the finest navigators in the world, NSW/ACT state winner Andy Green compiled a magnificent season which included being a part of wins at Hamilton Island Race Week, Etchells World Championships and Rolex Sydney Hobart Line Honours. He is joined as a Finalist for Male Sailor of the Year by AST teammates Matt Wearn OAM OLY (wins at three Sailing Grand Slam events) and iQFOiL athlete Grae Morris OLY (second at the Long Beach Olympic Class Regatta and first at the Under 23 World Championships)

The Club of the Year category is always hotly contested and this year is no different, with Category A finalists including Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron (VIC), Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (WA) and Whitsunday Sailing Club (QLD) and the Category B finalists down to Goolwa Regatta Yacht Club (SA) Lake Cootharaba Sailing Club (QLD) and Sandy Bay Sailing Club (TAS). 

With the recent announcement of Noakes Group as Australian Sailing’s Official Youth Sailing Partner, it has allowed the youth category to expand enabling both female and male sailors to be recognised for their achievements. This year's awards will now include the introduction of the Noakes Group Female Youth and Noakes Group Male Youth Sailor of the Year awards.

The female finalists consist of young aspiring sailors, with 29er team Mia Austin and Zara Marks (NSW/ACT) as strong contenders alongside International Cadet sailor Olive Hooper (TAS) and ILCA 6 sailor Caterina Meyer (QLD). 

The male finalists include Queensland's Rory Meehan for his international results in the iQFOiL, Connor Radford (NSW/ACT) in the Wing Foil, and Jasper Stay (WA) in the ILCA 6. 

The full list of finalists (in alphabetical order) for the 2026 Australian Sailing Awards is as follows:

Female Sailor of the Year

• Stacey Jackson (Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, QLD)
• Jiang Lin (Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, NSW/ACT)
• Zoe Thomson OLY (Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club/Australian Sailing Team, WA)

Male Sailor of the Year

• Andy Green (Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, NSW/ACT)
• Grae Morris OLY (Woollahra Sailing Club/Australian Sailing Team, NSW/ACT)
• Matt Wearn OAM OLY (Royal Perth Yacht Club/Fremantle Sailing Club/Australian Sailing Team, WA)

Team of the Year

• Brett Burvill and Max Puttman (Jervoise Bay Sailing Club, WA)
• Kairos Racing (Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, NSW/ACT)
• Brin Liddell OLY and Rhiannan Brown OLY (Wangi Amateur Sailing Club/Australian Sailing Team, NSW)

Para Sailor of the Year

• Gregory Myers (Dobroyd Aquatic Club, NSW/ACT)
• Chris Symonds (Wynyard Yacht Club, TAS)
• Genevieve Wickham (Royal Perth Yacht Club, WA)

Noakes Group Female Youth Sailor of the Year

• Mia Austin and Zara Marks (Woollahra Sailing Club, NSW/ACT)
• Olive Hooper (Sandy Bay Sailing Club, TAS)
• Caterina Meyer (Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, QLD)

Noakes Group Male Youth Sailor of the Year

• Rory Meehan (Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron/Australian Sailing Squad, QLD)
• Connor Radford (Belmont 16ft Sailing Club, NSW/ACT)
• Jasper Stay (Fremantle Sailing Club, Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, WA)

Coach of the Year

• Darren Bundock OLY (Australian International A Division Catamaran Association/Australian Sailing Team, NSW/ACT)
• Ben Durham (Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, WA)
• Rafael Trujillo OLY (Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron/Australian Sailing Team, QLD)

Club of the Year - Category A

• Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron (VIC)
• Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (WA)
• Whitsunday Sailing Club (QLD)

Club of the Year - Category B

• Goolwa Regatta Yacht Club (SA)
• Lake Cootharaba Sailing Club (QLD)
• Sandy Bay Sailing Club (TAS)

Innovation Award

• Adelaide Sailing Club Adventure Club (Adelaide Sailing Club, SA)
• Royal Perth Yacht Club - SailLAB (Royal Perth Yacht Club, WA)
• Southport Yacht Club - Summer on the Lake (Southport Yacht Club, QLD)

Instructor of the Year

• Ian Fox (Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, VIC)
• Samantha Hogerheyde (Noosa Yacht and Rowing Club, QLD)
• Scott Reynolds (Saltwater Veterans Sailing Project, NSW/ACT)

Official of the Year

• Malcolm Hughes (Adelaide Sailing Club, SA)
• Evan McHugh (Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, Royal Motor Yacht Club Toronto, Toronto Amateur Sailing Club, NSW/ACT)
• Paul Pascoe (Royal Brighton Yacht Club, VIC)

SheSails Award

• Canberra Yacht Club (NSW/ACT)
• Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (VIC)
• South Australian Women's Keelboat Regatta (Brighton & Seacliff Yacht Club, SA)

Sport Professional Award

• Joal Mackenzie (Brighton & Seacliff Yacht Club, SA)
• Greg Rowlings (Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, TAS)
• Melissa Warren (Mornington Yacht Club, VIC)

Sport Promotion Award

• Sail Port Stephens (Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, NSW/ACT)
• Paul van Bellen (Wave Rally World Championships, WA)
• Stuart Watson (Finn Sailing Australia, QLD)

Volunteer of the Year

• Chris Chatburn (Goolwa Regatta Yacht Club, SA)
• Gerard Del Favero (Tinaroo Sailing Club, QLD)
• Emma Hooper (Sandy Bay Sailing Club, TAS)

The national winners will be announced at the National Sailing Awards on Friday the 30th of October at the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, with winners to be announced live on the night on Australian Sailing’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.

For more information on the night or to purchase tickets please click here.