With Noakes Group announced as Australian Sailing’s Official Youth Sailing Partner, the youth award has been expanded this year so that both female and male sailors are recognised for their achievements. 

The talented line-up of Mia Austin and Zara Marks (NSW/ACT), Olive Hooper (TAS) and Caterina Meyer (QLD) boast strong performances at world and national level and make up the finalists for the inaugural Noakes Group Female Youth Sailor of the Year at the 2026 Australian Sailing Awards. 

The nation’s peak sailing awards will be held at the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour on Friday, October 30, where with the winners set to join an illustrious honour roll including Olympic and world champions and legends of the sport. 

The Finalists: 

Mia Austin and Zara Marks 

Mia Austin and Zara Marks delivered a breakthrough result at Kiel Week in June 2026, finishing third overall and second female crew in a 158-boat 29er fleet, with three race wins across the series. 

Racing against male, mixed and female crews in one of the world’s largest multi-class regattas, the Woollahra Sailing Club pair showed their speed, tactical strength and ability to perform under pressure. 

Now aged 16 and 17 they have become one of Australia’s most consistent youth teams, winning Top Female Boat at the Australian 29er National Championships in both 2025 and 2026. Further highlights include first female crew and 4th overall at Sail Auckland, and a top-10 female finish at the 2026 29er World Championships, where they were sixth youth female crew and 61st overall of 276 competitors.  

Still eligible as youth sailors in 2027, Mia and Zara are training intensively for the next season of international competition, with their sights set on representing Australia on the world stage. 

Olive Hooper 

Olive Hooper claimed the Australian International Cadet Championship in January 2026 with crew Haran Thani, capping an outstanding season that has made her one of Tasmania’s leading youth sailors. 

Olive also won the Tasmanian International Cadet State Championship and claimed the Tasmanian Youth Championship twice, in October 2025 and March 2026. At club level she won the Derwent Sailing Squadron Pennant and finished second in both the Sandy Bay Sailing Club Pennant and the Bellerive Crown Series. 

Internationally, she placed 11th at the 2025 International Cadet World Championship at Lake Lipno in the Czech Republic, and was selected to captain the Australian team at the 2026 World Championship at Lake Garda, her fifth Cadet Worlds. She also captained the Tasmanian team at the Australian Championship. 

Olive gives back well beyond her own racing. As Sandy Bay Sailing Club’s Junior Commodore for 2025–26 she represents the club’s junior sailors, and as an Assistant Instructor she supports programs including Girls Discover Sailing, Tackers, Green Fleet and Cadet Learn to Sail. She is also a senior helm in The Friends’ School sailing team. 

Now planning her move into the 29er class, Olive is an approachable and inspiring role model for younger sailors. 

Caterina Meyer 

Caterina Meyer earned selection to represent Australia at the World Sailing Youth World Championships in the ILCA 6 for the second consecutive year, finishing 20th in the 49-boat international fleet in December 2025. 

A Queensland Academy of Sport supported athlete, Caterina followed up with an impressive 15th at the 2026 U19 ILCA 6 European Championships.  

At home, she was the top U19 female at the 2025–26 Australian ILCA 6 Nationals, finishing 22nd in the 74-boat open fleet. She also placed second at the 2026 Queensland ILCA State Championships,and was first female and sixth overall at the 2025 NSW Youth Championships, the Youth Worlds qualifier. 

Her consistency and competitive drive have made her one of Australia’s leading youth athletes in one of the world’s strongest youth sailing pathways. 

Previous Youth Sailor of the Year winners: 

2024-25 Rory Meehan 

2023-24 Healy Ryan 

2022-23 Harry Joyner 

2021-22 Evie Saunders 

2020-21 James Jackson & Harrison Chapman 

2019-20 Scott Whitehead 

2018-19 Will Cooley and Rebecca Hancock 

2017-18 Zac Littlewood 

2016-17 Finn Alexander 

2015-16 Alistair Young 

2014-15 Kyle O’Connell & Tom Siganto 

2013-14 Kurt Hansen & Harry Morton 

2012-13 Carrie Smith & Ella Clark 

2011-12 Mark Spearman 

2010-11 Angus Galloway & Alexander Gough 

2009-10 Jessica Watson 

2008-09 Gabrielle King 

2007-08 Gabrielle King 

2006-07 Belinda Kerl & Chelsea Hall 

2005-06 Evan Walker & Kyle Langford 

2004-05 Nathan Outteridge 

2002-03 Nathan Outteridge & Ayden Menzies 

2001-02 Melissa Bryant & Martha Leonard 

2000-01 Ben Austin 

1999-00 Jesse Martin 

1998-99 Lisa Charlson & Sarah Roberts-Thomson 

1996-98 Lauren Jeffries 

1995-96 Glenn Ashby 

1994-95 Sarah Blanck, Brendan Casey 

1993-94 Bryony Hooper & Amanda Miller 

1992-93 Australian Youth Team – Natasha Sturges, Beau Moulson, Ian Neely, Maree Early, Kate Fitzsimmons & Kathryn McQueen, Michael Coxon & Christian Stevens 

1991-92 Natasha Sturges 

1990-91 Natasha Sturges 

1989-90 Jason Muir & Dominic White 

1988-89 Joshua Faddy 

1987-88 David Woods 

1986-87 Paul Burnell