The latest update from Australian Sailing's General Manager - Rod Austin

Please click this link to find a copy of all past Victoria General Manager's Updates.

As I write this, it’s a chilly 14 degrees Celsius — hopefully the last cold day we’ll see for the next four months!

2025 Sail Melbourne has now wrapped up, and what a fantastic success it was.

While RBYC may be limited in space, it is certainly not limited in making all feel so welcome. The club, its staff, and the many volunteers on and off the water have put in an incredible amount of work to bring this event to life. Thank you also to the other clubs (SYC, MSC, RYCV, BRYC and RMYS) operating the 5 courses and the many other clubs providing volunteer and support boats. 

One of the things that makes Sail Melbourne so special is the mixture of youth and pathway classes racing alongside their Olympic heroes. It wasn’t uncommon to see Matt Wearn rigging up alongside Optimist sailors in Royal Brighton’s yacht park.

Event results - Click Here  Australian Sailing Team - Click Here

Other Sailing Highlights since the October Newsletter

• 18-19 Oct. 2025 Sail Sandy Click here for full results,
• 25 Oct. Range Series Races 1 & 2 hosted by SYC.   Click Here for results.
• 31 Oct. ORCV Rudder Cup Yacht (Melbourne to Devonport race). Click Here for results
• 1-2 Nov. Sail Country (hosted by Albury Wodonga Sailing Club - Lake Hume.  First held in the early 1980s, Sail Country has grown from a small regional regatta into one of the largest multi-class events in Australia.  Click Here for results
• 14-16 Nov.  Lipton Cup, RYCV – Click Here for results.  
• 19 Nov A Class Worlds Milford NZ, Click here for results
• 22-23 Nov Victorian Catamaran Championship, McCrae YC   Click Here for results  The event was celebrated with the introduction of the Lindsay Cunningham Trophy in honour of “the father” of Australian multihull design and a great McCYC member.
• 22-23 Nov Go for Gold Regatta, BRYC  Click Here for results
• 22-23 Nov J70 Victorian Championship, BYS    Click Here   
• 22-23 Nov. ILCA Victorian Open and Youth Championship , RGYC    Click here for results
• 29-30 Nov.  CAIRN CURRAN REGATTA Cairn Curran Sailing Club Click Here 
• 30 Nov.  Port Phillip Championship Women’s Series (PPWCS) – Race 1 Shirley Freeman Trophy, HBYC. Click Here for results.

Australian Sailing’s Personal Accident Insurance

When your part of an Australian Sailing–affiliated club, you’re backed by Personal Accident Insurance. This cover protects members, volunteers, and Sail Pass participants if they’re injured while sailing, training, officiating, or taking part in club activities. It helps cover non-Medicare medical costs, weekly income benefits, and rehabilitation expenses, ensuring peace of mind both on and off the water. For more information click here

Sporting Schools Workshop

AS National Participation coordinator Kate Hyde and I attended this workshop held by the Australian Sports Commission. The Sporting Schools initiative, run by the Australian Sports Commission, provides primary and secondary students with access to quality sporting experiences across over 40 sports.  Sailing clubs can get involved by contacting Kate at email:  kate.hyde@sailing.org.au .

Melbourne Boat Show 

Australian Sailing supported RYCV, RMYS, and APYC in promoting sailing at this year’s Melbourne Boat Show at Docklands. The event attracted strong crowds, although many are there to view powerboats, there were still many eager to learn how to start sailing. There’s clear opportunity for more clubs and classes to be involved next year, ideally offering an on-water Discover Sailing experience during the event.

Discover Sailing Open Days 

It was great to see so many Yacht Clubs in November Welcoming and Opening their club to schools, the community and new sailing prospects.

An Open Discover Sailing Day is the perfect way to share your club’s spirit and invite the community to experience the thrill of sailing. It’s a fun, friendly showcase of what makes your club special — from the teamwork on the water to the laughter on shore. Open Days help attract new members, celebrate volunteers, and build local connections — proving that sailing really is for everyone!

Club Visits 

Meg, Alex, Liam and I are endeavouring to visit all the 75 plus clubs this financial year. In the past two months we have visited Bendigo Yacht Club, McCrae YC, Rye YC, Portarlington YC, RYCV, Davey’s Bay YC, Chelsea YC, Mordialloc SC. Cowes YC, Smooth Sailing School, Wyndham YC, Newhaven YS, Sandringham YC, Ocean Racing Club Victoria. Ballarat YC, Portland, Apollo Bay, and Warrnambool SC.

Ballarat YC on Lake Wendouree – Founded in 1877 and it must be the oldest or one of Victoria’s oldest inland yacht clubs. The club has such a successful history of sailing and champion sailors both past and present. Currently learning to windsurf is proving popular.  They also have redevelopment plans for the clubhouse.

Portland Yacht Club and Warrnambool Yacht Club. Both have signed recently to be part of the Western Region Discover Sailing Participation program and soon will be running Discover Sailing Courses!  We look forward to working with both club this Summer. This project is supported by the Victorian Government through the Strengthening Regional Community Sport Program.

Mornington Yacht Club hosted 145 School students to have the opportunity to go sailing on Friday 21st November.  Congratulations to the MYC sailing staff, boat owners, and volunteers for organising such an event.

Parkdale Yacht Club celebrated long-time member and sailing instructor Chris Hewitt at their Opening Day on Sunday, naming their new Pacer in his honour. The club also paid tribute to the iconic Sailfish class, proudly acknowledging Parkdale as the birthplace of this legendary design. Click here

AS Hall of Fame – Glenn Ashby 

Last week Sailing Legend Glenn Ashby (McCYC) was inducted into the Australian Sailing Hall of Fame: Glenn Ashby started sailing at Bendigo Yacht Club and since then has become a 17-time world champion across multiple multihull disciplines, Olympic silver medallist, America’s Cup-winning skipper and coach, World record setter in Land Sailing and his achievements are expected to continue. We all congratulate you, Glenn. We also congratulate Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jenson who also were inducted into the Australian Sailing Hall of Fame.

Australian Sailing Legend John Bertrand AO Receives Barranjoey Pin 

John Bertrand AO (RBYC & SSCBC) has received his Barranjoey Pin at the Australian Sailing Team (AST) camp this week at RBYC. The pin is a symbol of Australia’s Olympic and Paralympic sailing legacy and was presented to Bertrand by two-time Olympic gold medallist Matt Wearn, it marked a proud and long-awaited moment for one of Australia’s most influential sailing figures. For Bertrand, whose name is etched into national memory through the 1983 America’s Cup victory, this recognition reached back to where it all began: his Olympic journey as an Olympic bronze medallist in the Finn class in 1976. 

Bertrand received pin number 47, the same number as his Etchell bow number, with his granddaughter, who had her first day on the job at Royal Brighton Yacht Club, sneaking a break to see her grandfather receive his pin. Bertrand, with the wisdom and presence that have defined his career, helped open the AST camp this week at RBYC with a powerful message to the next generation of Australian sailing talent. He urged them to take ownership of their journey, make the most of every resource at their disposal, and be ready to deliver their absolute best when it matters most.

2025 Australian Sailing Awards

Victoria amazingly had 12 finalists in the 15 Awards. Whilst Victoria may have not won many, but I would like to congratulate all the deserved winners, the Victorian finalists and especially Lucas James (BYS) winning Instructor of the Year and Graeme Taylor (MYC) as part of the winning Team of the Year.

The winners are as follows:

Female Sailor of the Year - Zoe Thomson (Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club and East Fremantle Yacht Club, WA)

Male Sailor of the Year - James Mayo (Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club, NSW/ACT)

Team of the Year - Team Magpie (Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club, NSW/ACT)

Para Sailor of the Year - Chris Symonds (Wynyard Yacht Club, TAS)

Youth Sailor of the Year - Rory Meehan (Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, QLD)

Coach of the Year - Rafael Trujillo (Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron and Australian Sailing Team, QLD)

Club of the Year - Category A - Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (WA)

Club of the Year - Category B - Saltwater Veterans Sailing Project (NSW/ACT)

Innovation Award - Airlie Beach Race Week (Whitsunday Sailing Club, QLD)  

Instructor of the Year - Lucas James (Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron, VIC)

Official of the Year - Rob Hubbard (Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, WA)

SheSails Award - South Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta (Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia, SA)

Sport Professional Award - Jacqueline Ellis (Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, NSW/ACT)

Sport Promotion Award - Making Waves Foundation (NSW/ACT)

Volunteer of the Year - Julia Hornsby (Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, NSW/ACT)

2025 Victorian Sailing Awards, I apologise for the delay on sharing photo’s but you can view all the photos taken on the night by clicking here Use code VICAWARDS25 to access.

SheSails news

Australian Sailing and Sailing Raceboats have joined forces to help clubs grow female participation through the RS Feva Female Participation Project, supported by the Australian Government’s Play Our Way initiative. Discover Sailing Centres can apply for subsidised double-handed RS Feva dinghies, perfect for programs such as OutThere Sailing and youth fleet training. Each package includes sails, spinnaker, top cover, and trolley—offered at a 30%-plus discount (only $10,249 incl. GST). (Normally $15,399). Click here for more information

Discounted AS Vic Courses for Women - Thanks to Victorian Govt. funding, discounts are available for upcoming courses aimed at supporting more women to become officials, instructors, and coaches. Contact Meg Goodfellow (meg.goodfellow@sailing.org.au) prior to registering to access this discount. 

She Sails International Online Conference – What a spectacular panel of speakers thanks to AS National Participation and Inclusion Coordinator Sue Phillips at Australian Sailing and a special thank you to Nic Douglas (Sailor Girl) for hosting. 

Upcoming – Interclub/State/National/International Events up until 31/1/2026

• 27-30 November SAIL MELBOURNE Royal Brighton YC Click Here
• 29-30 November CAIRN CURRAN REGATTA Cairn Curran Sailing Club Click Here
• 30 November Port Phillip Championship Women’s Series (PPWCS) – Race 1 Shirley Freeman Trophy, Hobsons Bay YC. Click Here.
• 11th – 14th December WASZP Slalom Nationals & Victorian States Royal Geelong YC Click here
• 12th December All Abilities Day on the Lake – Rowing, Paddling & Sailing.  Australian Sailing, Rowing Vic,  Paddle Vic Click here
• 26 December Cock of the Bay ORCV Click Here
• 27-30 December Petersville Regatta BYS Click Here
• 27 Dev Melbourne to Hobart Westcoaster ORCV Click here
• 27-20 Dec The Capel Sound Invitational, Rosebud, Rye, and McCrae YC Click Here
• 28 Dec -4 January International Cadet Australian Championships, Royal Geelong YC Click here
• 28 Dec – 3 January Impulse Dinghy Australian Championships, Altona Yacht Club Click Here Click Here
• 7-10 January J24 Australian Championship Sandringham Yacht Club Click Here
• 8 – 11 January Etchells Australasian Summer Championship  Click Here
• 11-16 Jan Minnow Australian Championships, Gippsland Lakes YC Click Here
• 18-22 Jan RS Aero Australian Championships, Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron Click Here
• 24-26 Jan Festival of Sails, Royal Geelong Yacht Club Click Here

The Australian Sailing VIC - Club Support Tem

On behalf of Australian Sailing, we wish you all are very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Please do not hesitate to contact the VIC team. Rod Austin – AS Vic Manager – Club Support rod.austin@sailing.org.au 0477522750

Club Support Officers:

• Meg Goodfellow, meg.goodfellow@sailing.org.au
• Alexandra Starkova, alexandra.starkova@sailing.org.au
• Liam Whitehouse (Regional Western Victoria) - liam.whitehouse@sailing.org.au