Three outstanding sailors from across Australia have been announced as national finalists in the Para Sailor of the Year category, with the winner to be announced at the Australian Sailing Awards on November 4.

The first of the finalists, Neil Rowsthorn has been on the committee of Sailability Gold Coast and helped establish the Queensland Para Sailing Academy at Southport Yacht Club.

He has chased competition in all the Hansa classes – 2.3, 303 and Liberty - around Australia and overseas with another successful season.

Neil finished third at the Hansa Nationals – Liberty Class and second at the SKUD 18 Nationals before stringing together a series of wins and placings in the Southport YC inshore division JAM series as well as the summer and winter SYC ID Series.

Along with crew Jack Wallace, he continues honing his racing skills with the SKUD 18, sports boat and keelboat fleets at Southport.

Neil is Secretary of the Queensland Para Sailing Academy, and volunteers at Sailability Gold Coast two-three days per week. He has also sailed more Southport YC Inshore division races than any other sailor.

Commodore of Wynyard Yacht Club on the Northwest Coast of Tasmania, Chris Symonds is a para sailor with an incredible list of achievements and contributions to sailing in Australia through the 2021-2022 Sailing Season.

His remarkable achievements on the water over the last 12 months started in 2021 when Chris contested the Para World Championships Hansa 303 in Italy, winning the Doubles, finishing third in the Male and fourth in the Open categories.

And in 2022 he has notched a string of victories from the Sail Melbourne 303 Singles to the Italian Nationals 303 Doubles and Para Doubles as well as the UK Nationals Carsington Waters Hansa 303 Doubles.

Chris, who has Kennedy’s Disease, has been very active in promoting para sailing, especially in relation to the bid for sailing to be reintroduced into the Para Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

He has been very active within the Sailability Tasmania community and has been very supportive of the program in our club. He is an inspiration to all of the participants and encourages all individuals to take on the challenge of learning to sail in order to enjoy the freedom that sailing can provide them.

The third finalist in the category, Robert Crofts is the driving force behind establishing the Western Australian Para Sailing Academy and has shown great consistency across several divisions in an interrupted sailing year.

A major highlight was his victory in the SKUD 18 Australian Open Championship on Pittwater, alongside non-disabled forward hand and coach Grant Alderson from Royal Perth Yacht Club (WA) who was able to use trapeze for this event.

It came down to the final of six races to decide the title, with Crofts & Alderson finishing one point ahead of overnight leaders Neil Rowsthorn and Jack Wallace from Southport Yacht Club (QLD). 

Robert made a huge commitment to travel and compete last summer, twice making two-way trips across the Nullabor with boats to compete in the Australian Para Sailing Championships along with the New South Wales, Victorian and Australian Hansa Class Championships and Pittwater regatta. 

Robert’s competition experience and regular training with coach Alderson certainly paid off.

He placed second in the National Hansa Class Championships; won the WA Hansa Class Championships, finished third in the Sail Melbourne/Australian Para Sailing Championships and second in the 2022 Victorian Hansa Class Championships.

For more information on the National Awards as well as ticket availability, click here.