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.

October is the start of the 2025-2026 season from most Victorian clubs and we off to a great start with big fleets and brilliant weather.

There is so much to report about in the last two months!

2025 Australian Victorian Sailing Awards

Congratulations to all winners, finalists, and nominees! It was a night full of energy, celebration, and recognition of our sailing community. A special thank you to our wonderful MCs, Laura Harding, and Graeme Taylor, as well as everyone who contributed to presenting the awards.

We are delighted to announce the award winners below.

Male Sailor of the Year: Mark Bulka – McCrae Yacht Club

Female Sailor of the Year: Laura Harding – Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron

Discover Sailing Centre of the Year: Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club

Club of the Year (Category B): Davey’s Bay Yacht Club

Club of the Year (Category A): Royal Brighton Yacht Club

Para Sailor of the Year: Peter Coleman – Royal Brighton Yacht Club, Australian Hansa Class Association, 2.4 Meter Class

Official of the Year: Luke Tupper – Albert Sailing Club

Instructor of the Year: Lucas James – Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron

Sports Professional Award: Gemma Burns – Sandringham Yacht Club

Sports Promotion Award: Victorian International Optimist Dinghy Association / Leah Keh

Inclusion Program of the Year: Making Waves Foundation

Volunteer of the Year: Rosaline Marshall – Albury Wodonga Sailing Club & Victorian International Optimist Dinghy Association

SheSails Award: Robyn Ragauskas – Sandringham Yacht Club

Barranjoey Pin

• Allan Goodall (Pin #108) – Bendigo Yacht Club
• John Savage (Pin #218) – Royal Brighton Yacht Club
• Tess Lloyd OLY (Pin #219) – Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club, Royal Brighton Yacht Club, Parkdale Yacht Club & Sandringham Yacht Club
• Laura Harding (Pin #243) – Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Rod Thomas – Albert Sailing Club, Mirror Class Association of Victoria
• Stephen Neuenhoffer – Royal Geelong Yacht Club, St Leonards Yacht Club

Coach of the Year: Tony Bull – Royal Geelong Yacht Club

Team of the Year: Scarlet Runner (Rob Date) – Sandringham Yacht Club

Youth Sailor of the Year: Joshua Garner – Royal Geelong Yacht Club

Many will go on to represent Victoria at the 2025 Australian Sailing Awards, to be held on 14 November in Sydney.

Chelsea Yacht Club Boat Hub Launch

I had the pleasure to attend the Chelsea Yacht Club Boat Hub opening and their launch of their partnership with the Making Waves Foundation – Wright of Passage Program . Thank you to Chelse YC Commodore Paul O’Connor for the invitation. The Boat Hub is more than a building; it’s a place where access to boating becomes possible despite higher density living.

I also had the pleasure of spending quality time with our CEO, Malcolm Page. This was my first opportunity to meet Malcolm, and together we visited several Melbourne clubs. In his first month, Malcolm has been travelling extensively across the country to connect with as many clubs as possible and gain insights into how sailing is progressing at the grassroots level. During his visit, he spent time at RGYC, RMYS, RYCV, PYC, BRYC, RBYC, and SYC, as well as attending a few industry events. A special highlight was sharing lunch with Gary Sheard, Australian Olympian in the Soling class at the 1980 Moscow (unfortunately AYF boycotted) and 1984 LA Games. While Malcolm regretted not being able to visit more clubs on this trip, he looks forward to returning for the Victorian Sailing Awards this Friday.

I would like to congratulate Yachting Victoria President Sean Hogan and Alison Hogan (Weatherly) on their marriage this month at RBYC.

This is a good opportunity to thank Sean and Alison for their contribution to Victorian Sailing.

Sean’s credentials are amazing and worthy of listing:

• Yachting Victoria and Sailability Victoria President since 2019.
• Training Committee: 1993–2018 (Chair 2006–2018) and Coaching Committee: 1993–1998
• Senior Keelboat & Dinghy instructor since 2008 hence delivering countless number of courses and instructors gaining their accreditation.
• Awarded Yachting Victoria Services to Sailing Award (2004/05) and President’s Award – Australian Sailing (2022)

Alison Hogan Weatherly has also been a huge contribution to Victorian Sailing for many reasons including having won previously Victorian Para Sailor of the year more than once and again a finalist this year.

Note: As part of its transition to Australian Sailing, Yachting Victoria will soon conclude its operations. A new Victorian Regional Area Committee (RAC) is to be established, and expressions of interest from Victorian members will be sought soon.

Sailing Highlights

Zhik Youth Sail NSW Championships Toronto Amateur Sailing Club ,4-6 Oct. Click here for results. Congratulations to:-

• 29ers. 2nd - Miles and Henri Levenspiel (SSCBC)
• ILCA 4 . 1st Callum Simmons (SSCBC/IHYC) , 2nd Zoe Jackson (SYC), 8th Louis Coates (MYC?SSCBC), 9th Frances Gibson (SYC/SSCBC/WSC), 13th Allegra Jones (SYC)
• ILCA 6. 3rd Aidan Simmons (SSCBC/IHYC), Jack Vermeer (MYC)
• OPTIMIST OPEN . 11th Acklin Stent (MYC, MMYC) 16th Tate Cantwell (SSCBC), 24th Fred Cantwell (SSCBC), 43rd Stirling Marshall (AWSC), Harry Creak (IHYC), Sam Smith (SYC/RBYC)
• OPTIMIST INTERMEDIATE, 39th Tilly Gibson (SYC/WSC)

Zhik Youth Sail SA Championships last weekend at Adelaide SC – Click here

• 420 class Congratulations to 3rd Oscar Forbes & Finnlay Meijer (SBSC) 3rd , 12th Jess Lowe & Charlie Edwards (MYC)
• ILCA 4 Congratulations to Connor Inglis 2nd (AWYC) Addison Wrennall 8th (AWYC)

Y2K Teams Race event at RGYC Congratulations Mornington Yacht club, helmed by James Jackson & Lachie Weber claimed the 2025 2K Team Racing Regatta in Geelong (on count back) The result sees the team nominated by the committee for entry into the Teams Racing World Championships in Sweden. Well done to SSCBC finishing 2nd and BYS in 3rd, with over 60 sailors competing across the weekend. 

13-14 Sept. Sail Mordi 2025 – A fantastic fleet of over 80 entries in 5 Divisions. Well Done Mordialloc SC! Click here for results.

13-14 Sept. CitySail 2025 –Women's coaching regatta. Such a fantastic event and coaches included Michael Arnold, Tess Lloyd, and Lucas James. Special mention to organisers Susie Falk and Norma Watt. Click here for results.

6-14 Sept. 2025 J24 World Championships , Plymouth England SYC members W. Slater 27th, J. Crawford 31st , D. West 38th, S. Wright 40th. Click here for results. Sandringham Yacht Club will host the 2026 J24 World Championships - click here for more info. 

9-12 Sept. 2025 Australian Women’s Match Racing Championship at Fremantle SC

Whilst there was not a Victorian Team , Sophie Jackson (MYC ) was crewing on the winning team. Click here for Results. 

30-6 September Finn Gold Cup, Cascais Portugal. Click Here (Patrick Cummin DBYC – 3rd U23, Sam Ede DBYC – 4th U23 )

2-7 September Japan 470 Championships. Click Here (Sophie Jackson MYC – 45th Gold Fleet)

10-21 August Flying Fifteen World Championship -82 entries

Weymouth England. Click Here 19th L. Davies & J. Radnell (DBYC)

22-29 August ILCA U21 World Championships, Ireland - Click here

ILCA 7 – 139 Entries. 59th – Hamish Gilsenan (ASC, RBYC), 79th – Patrick Cummin (DBYC, SYC)

22-30 August Fireball World Championships – 152 entries - Click here

4th Brendan Garner & Ben O’Brien (RGYC), 39th Phil Peverell & Bruce Shand (FYC)

Special mention to Davey’s Bay YC for being represented this year in the ILCA U21, Fireball, J24, Finn and Flying Fifteen World Championships

OK Dinghy World Championships – Lake Garda Italy 220 entries - Click Here Roger Blasse 16th.

SheSails News

• She Sails International Online Conference – Watch Party & Networking - Click Here to Register Monday 20 October, 6:00–9:00pm at The Boatshed, Aquatic Drive. Finger food and Beverages provided.
• 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.
• Sail Our Way SheSails Grants – Australian Sailing received over 70 grant applications and 21 from Victoria. Grant winners to be announced soon.
• 2025-2026 Port Phillip Women’s Championship Series (PPWCS) - Uniting Women Sailing on Port Phillip Bay. Click here for PPWCS NOR. 5 races:- Shirley Freeman (HBYC) 30 November, Val Hodge (RYCV) 1 February, WISC (SYC) 1 March, Jennifer Goldsmith (RMYS) 15 March, BLISS (RBYC) 3 May.
• KISS Alive with the success of the Keelboat Introduction to Sailing Savvy (KISS) Program over the last three years, its formal incorporation into the ORCV training pathways in March 2025, and the launch of a new broader strategic platform initiative “KISS ALIVE” has been launched to support all women keelboat sailors by working with keelboat clubs. Click here for more information.

AS Courses in Victoria

Dinghy Instructor - Mordialloc Sailing Club - 8th & 9th November - Register Here

Windsurfing Instructor Endorsement - McCrae Yacht Club - 16th November - Register Here

Dinghy Instructor - The Boatshed - 22nd & 23rd November - Register Here

Dinghy Assistant Instructor - The Boatshed - 22nd November - Register Here

Upcoming – Interclub/State/National/International Events up until 30/11

• 18-19 October 2025 SAIL SANDY Sandringham YC Click Here
• 25 October Port Phillip RANGE Series Race 1 Sandringham YC Click Here
• 1-2 November SAIL COUNTRY Albury Wodonga YC Click Here
• 1-2 November Western Region Stawell YC Regatta Click Here
• 1-2 November ILCA Inland Water Championship & Training– Bendigo YC Click Here
• 8-9 November, Montalto Masters Westernport Yacht Club Click Here
• 14,15 & 16 November Lipton Cup Regatta , Royal Yacht Club of Vitoria Click Here
• 21-23 November J70 Victorian Championship , Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron Click Here
• 22-23 November ILCA Victorian Open and Youth Championship , RGYC Click here
• 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. NOR Click Here

Victorian Sailing Calendar

Click here: https://www.sailing.org.au/vic/

Have you put your important Club/Class events on the VIC Sailing Calendar so that everyone knows they are on? If you require support for adding an event, please email vic@sailing.org.au

The Australian Sailing VIC - Club Support Tem

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