General Manager - Victoria Update June 2026
General Update
Victoria’s sailing community continues to enjoy strong momentum across participation, racing and club collaboration.
As winter begins, two of the premier events on the Victorian sailing calendar is set to take centre stage this month.
5-8 June The 34th Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta (AWKR) will be hosted this weekend by Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron, attracting 27 entries from across Australia and New Zealand. Renowned for its competitive racing, camaraderie and celebration of women in sailing, the regatta promises to be another outstanding showcase of talent both on and off the water.
13 June - 2026 Victorian Sailing Summit at Parkdale Yacht Club, providing an opportunity for clubs, class associations and volunteers to network, share ideas and discuss the future of sailing in Victoria. Click Here to register.
Club Engagement and Support
Strong relationships with clubs remain a priority as we continue to better understand local challenges and opportunities across Victoria.
Key activities were:
• Club visits and meetings with Commodores, committees and key volunteers. (I apologise if we have not visited in the past 12 months but we still aim to see you.)
• Ongoing support relating to governance, participation, safety and club operations.
• Increased engagement with regional clubs to ensure they remain connected to Australian Sailing initiatives.
• Promotion of club collaboration and sharing of best practice across the network.
Our 75 clubs are the foundation of sailing in Victoria, and regular engagement helps ensure Australian Sailing remains responsive to their needs.
Club Focus: Portland Yacht Club is a great example of a community-focused and inclusive club, successfully blending its strong couta boat and catamaran heritage with a modern participation-driven approach. It has a vibrant membership (51% female), strong leadership, and plans for clubhouse upgrades. The club's well-utilised fleet, including SB20s, Optis, Pacers and ILCAs, and is driving participation across all ages. Portland actively supports youth sailors, collaborates through the Yachting Western Victoria Alliance, and recently launched a purpose-built safety boat through outstanding volunteer effort.
Participation and Discover Sailing Growth
Growing participation remains a core focus, with clubs continuing to provide welcoming pathways for people of all ages and abilities to enter the sport.
Key Activities include
- Support for Discover Sailing Centres and program delivery. Promotion of Tackers, Start Sailing, Better Sailing and OutThere Sailing programs.
Discover Sailing Centre Focus – Westernport Yacht Club (WYC) at Balnarring Beach. Westernport Yacht Club has been fostering a welcoming and passionate sailing community since its establishment in 1960 Click Here
Special mention and a Thank You to Bob and Jean Cooper – Rye YC.
Commodore Neville Taylor, Rear Commodore Scott Paton and the members of Rye Yacht Club honoured Bob and Jean Cooper for their outstanding contribution operating the Rye Discover Sailing Centre for more than 20 years. Bob and Jean have always embraced change, provided new ideas to the Tackers and Out Their programs and committed countless hours to the Sailing School helping create a welcoming, engaging environment for so many young sailors. Bob has won Instructor of the Year on two occasions as well as Discover Sailing Centre of the Year on three occasions.
- Exploring opportunities to increase female participation and engagement through initiatives such as Sail Our Way and SheSails.
Congratulations to the Victorian Sailing Clubs awarded Sail Our Way Grants in Round 2. Another means of driving women’s participation in sailing. Click Here
Sail Our Way Case Study – SSCBC Lady Skippers Day. Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club last month delivered a women’s regatta bringing together 180 sailors across 33 boats for a day of racing, leadership, and community on the water. Special acknowledgement to Whitney McLaren (SheSails SSCBC Chair), Camilla Graves, and the SheSails Committee for their leadership in delivering the program. Read the full case study:Click Here
Class Association update – VIODA Participation growth relies on clubs and classes providing quality, accessible and enjoyable experiences for newcomers to sailing The Victorian Int. Opti Association (VIODA) is a class association tackling this issue.
Click Here for the article re: the battle to boost participation post -pandemic!
Major Events and Pathway Development
Victoria continues to host high-quality events that showcase the strength of our sailing community and athlete pathways.
• Successful delivery of Zhik Youth Sail Victoria and associated coaching clinics.
Zhik Youth Sail Victoria at Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club - April. While strong westerly winds prevented racing, the coaching days were an outstanding success. With 109 boats, 130 youth sailors and 25 dedicated coaches, the energy and learning both on and off the water truly captured the spirit of Youth Sail. Behind the scenes, more than 50 volunteers and staff delivered a fantastic event. The week also brought people together off the water, with sessions for parents and class associations on sailing pathways and a sailors’ dinner featuring SSCBC Olympians Tess Lloyd, Will and Sam Phillips sharing their journeys. Please see the photo gallery from Youth Sail VIC here.
Password: Youthsailvic@2026 2027.
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2026 Vicsport Awards
Congratulations to 29er sailors Henri and Miles Levenspiel (SSCBC) winning Young Team of the Year Award. Click Here for the article. Congratulations to all the sailing finalists Mark Bulka (McCYC) – Frank Wilkes Award, Leah Keh (VIODA) – Outstanding Media coverage of Sport Award, Davey’s Bay Yacht Club – Community Sporting Club of the Year Award and Huw Provis (Making Waves Foundation) – Volunteer of the Year
• Support for state championships and class association events. Click Here for Feb – May Results
- Events are critical not only for competition but also for retention, community building and inspiring future sailors.
There are so many major World, State, Interclub events for clubs to include in their calendar but we ask all clubs to consider adding Sail Melbourne at Royal Brighton Yacht Club, 26-29 November (Entries Now Open), the iconic Festival of Sails hosted by Royal Geelong Yacht Club, 23-26 January, J24 World Championships at Sandringham YC, 4–11 November, ILCA U21 World Championships, 10–17 January 2027, Aero World Championships at Blairgowrie YS, 16-22 Jan and 2027 Victorian Youth Sail at SSCBC, 1-4 April 2027.
Volunteers, Officials and Instructor Development
The success of sailing in Victoria continues to be built on the dedication of volunteers and the quality of our workforce.
Key Activities
• Recognition of volunteer contributions across clubs and classes.
• Delivery of instructor, coach and race official training opportunities.
• Ongoing support for accreditation and professional development.
• Encouraging new volunteers to become involved in club operations and event delivery.
Key Message
Without volunteers, officials, coaches and instructors, our sport simply could not operate at the level it does today.
Congratulations to Victoria’s newest and youngest International Race Officer- James Sly (SYC)! James is the first Australian Race Officer to reach this level in over a decade, and the first Millennial! This is a significant achievement, which is great for Victoria, Australia and International sailing community.
I also want to share two recent videos featuring two fantastic Victorian Volunteers - Niesje Hees (RBYC) and Marnie Irving (RBYC speaking first hand on the importance of volunteering.
AS COURSES - Now is the time to start preparing for next season: -
Note AS is hosting Women & Girls Race Officiating Courses! Officiating is a great way to be a part of the sailing community. If you have been considering taking part in one of our courses now is the chance. Come along and meet like-minded women and take the first step in your officiating journey.
Strategic Opportunities and Challenges
As we look ahead, there are significant opportunities to strengthen sailing's future across Victoria.
Victorian Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) Nominations: Close 15 June 2026
Australian Sailing will establish a new Victorian Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) to support and strengthen sailing across Victoria. The RAC will be an official Australian Sailing committee, elected by Victorian clubs, focused on improving collaboration, communication and support between clubs and Australian Sailing. Nominations are now open for six elected and three appointed committee positions. Each affiliated club may nominate one financial member. Regional clubs and female members are strongly encouraged to nominate, with meetings accessible online. Click Here for more information and to nominate
Key Priorities of Australian Sailing :
• Development of stronger connections with schools through SailLAB and education initiatives.
• Supporting club sustainability and membership growth.
• Expanding participation opportunities in regional Victoria.
• Encouraging collaboration between clubs, classes and stakeholders.
• Continuing discussions regarding governance, inclusion and long-term planning.
By working together and focusing on sustainable growth, we can ensure sailing remains strong, relevant and accessible for future generations.
- Rod Austin: Vic GM - rod.austin@sailing.org.au / 0477522750
- Meg Goodfellow - meg.goodfellow@sailing.org.au
- Alexandra Starkova - alexandra.starkova@sailing.org.au
- Liam Whitehouse - liam.whitehouse@sailing.org.au
