General Manager - NSW/ACT Update October 2025
The latest updates from Australian Sailing NSW/ACT General Manager - Niall Powers
Please click this click to find all past NSW/ACT General Managers Updates.
General Update
Welcome to the October update from the NSW & ACT Club Support team. With the warmer months upon us, it’s fantastic to see clubs across the region gearing up for a busy summer of sailing. From regatta planning to training programs, the energy and excitement in our community is inspiring.In this update we will look back at the Zhik Youth Sail NSW event, recognise the winners of the NSW & ACT Sailing Awards, and look ahead to some training courses and events over the coming months.
Zhik Youth Sail NSW
Zhik Youth Sail NSW has just wrapped up at Toronto Amateur Sailing Club, on Lake Macquarie. The event brought together over 300 youth sailors from across Australia, with strong representation across junior and youth classes.From the energy of the Coaching Clinic, the enthusiasm of the Green Fleet, and the exceptional competition in the NSW Youth Championship, the week was a celebration of youth sailing at every level. Sailorsparticipating in the Coaching Clinic had to opportunity to meet and hear from Olympic sailor Zoe Thomson, who shared her journey through youth sailing pathways and to the Paris Games.
Thank you to Toronto Amateur Sailing Club and their volunteers for hosting this edition of Youth Sail NSW, as well as Zhik for sponsoring all Youth Sail events nationally. We would also like to thank the sailors, parents, clubs and coaches who also supported Youth Sail – without your support, delivering a successful and enjoyable event of this scale would not be possible!
Photos and a wrap up video from the event are on our Australian Sailing NSW & ACTFacebook & Instagram accounts.
View the final Youth Championship results here >
NSW & ACT Sailing Awards – winners announced!
On Saturday 20th September, the NSW & ACT sailing community came together at St George Sailing Club to celebrate the outstanding achievements of sailors, volunteers, officials, and clubs at the 2025 NSW & ACT Sailing Awards.The evening was a vibrant showcase of the passion and dedication that drives our sport. Finalists represented a diverse cross-section of the community – from Olympic hopefuls to grassroots champions – and the atmosphere was one of pride and camaraderie.
Congratulations to our 2025 award winners!
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Club of the Year Cat A – Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club
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Club of the Year Cat B – Saltwater Veterans Sailing Project
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Male Sailor of the Year – JamesMayo (RSYS/RPEYC)
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Female Sailor of the Year– Bridget Conrad (WSC)
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Para Sailor of the Year – Len Snowdon (SNSW/AHCA)
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Youth Sailor of the Year – Louis Tilly (RPAYC)
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Team of the Year – Team Magpie (RSYS/RPEYC)
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Official of the Year – Ken Semple (NCYC)
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Instructor of the Year – Makenzie Mayne (LC12’SC)
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Coach of the Year – Dante Olivieri (CYCA)
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Sport Promotion Award – Making Waves Foundation
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Sport Professional of the Year– Jacqueline Ellis (NCYC)
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Volunteer of the Year– Ben Howell (HHSC) & Julia Hornsby (RPAYC)
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She Sails Award– Eleanor Cunningham (LMYC)
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Lifetime Achievement Award– Ian MacDiarmid (RSYS) & Ted Anderson (RPAYC/NCYC)
Photos from the evening are online here. Thanks to Fynn Sprott (Sprott Media) for capturing the event.
Winners from state award ceremonies have been nominated onward to the Australian Sailing National Awards, with finalists to be announced soon. The national awards ceremony will be held on Friday 14th November at the National Maritime Museum in Sydney.
Sail Sydney Update
Since its inception as a test event for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Sail Sydney has held a special place on the Australian sailing calendar. Over the years, the regatta has grown into one of the country’s leading multi-class events, providing a platform for both Olympic and invited class sailors to test themselves against top level domestic and international competition on Sydney Harbour.
Sail Sydney will not take place this year due to complexities in securing a host venue within the required date range. Australian Sailing is committed to ensuring that the event returns with planning already underway for Sail Sydney in 2026.
Despite this, the 2025/26 season promises plenty of opportunities for sailors to enjoy top-level racing in Australia, at both Sail Melbourne and Sail Brisbane. With these featured events, this summer of sailing is set to attract both national and international competitors, highlighting Australia as a world-class sailing destination.
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Sail Melbourne - 27-30 November 2025 at Royal Brighton Yacht Club
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Sail Brisbane - 16-20 December at Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron
SheSails International Conference
egistrations are now open for the 2025 SheSails International Conference as part of World Sailing’s Steering the Course festival for women in sailing, set to celebrate and elevate women in sailing with a powerful lineup of international and Australian speakers.
With the theme “Mentoring and Accelerating Action", this year’s conference will explore how mentoring can open doors, fast-track opportunities, and build pathways for women and girls to thrive across all areas of sailing. The virtual conference will be delivered via webinar at 7:00pm (AEDT) on Monday 20 October 2025, bringing together leaders, trailblazers, and changemakers from across the sport.
Courses for Club & Class Management, Instructors, Coaches and Officials
Since its launch earlier this year, we have seen great engagement with the Australian Sailing Learning Centre, which continues to grow as a valuable resource for clubs, officials, and volunteers. If you haven’t explored the platform yet, we encourage you to check out the free online courses available. There are governance and management support courses from the Australian Sports Commission which are beneficial for your committee members, directors and staff.
A new Race Officer – Scorer and Handicapper course was also released last month. This is designed to teach the fundamental skills needed to score, handicap and manage ratings for sailing races.
Log in to the Australian Sailing Learning Centre here >
NSW & ACT Events Calendar
Upcoming sailing events in NSW & ACT!
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Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race / Sat 11 Oct / RPAYC
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Australia Cup (TP52’s & other classes) / Sat 11 – Sun 12 & Sat 25 – Sun 26 Oct / CYCA
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Australian Masters Games / Sat 18 – Sat 15 Oct / Canberra YC
ACTION ITEM FOR CLUBS:Add your events to the calendar! Contact nsw@sailing.org.aufor information on how to add your events to the calendar.
Update your Club Contacts
Not receiving official Australian Sailing clubcommunications? Please keep your list of club officials (administration staff, flag officers, club representatives) up to date for your key personnel to stay informed with Australian Sailing updates.
ACTION ITEM FOR CLUBS: Check your club’s contact details in the‘Account Details’ section of your revSPORTportal and add any new‘Organisation Officials’.
Contact our TeamCraig, Jess and I are available to answer your questions by phone, email, face-to-face or via an online meeting.
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