Our 2025 Finalists for Female Sailor of the Year
A trio of emerging superstars are in the running for the Female Sailor of the Year at the 2025 Australian Sailing Awards.
The category will be keenly contested with the three finalists including Bridget Conrad (NSW/ACT), Zoe Thomson (WA) and Laura Harding (VIC).
The nation’s peak sailing awards will be held at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney on Friday, November 14, with the winners set to join an illustrious honour roll including Olympic and world champions and legends of the sport.
The Finalists:
Zoe Thomson
Zoe Thomson had a key breakthrough in 2025 with her first overall international win at the Sailing Grand Slam – Palma in March.
The past 12 months have marked the beginning of Zoe’s LA 2028 campaign and her most consistent season yet. Additional highlights include 1st at Sail Melbourne (Dec 2024, 45 entries), 2nd at the ILCA Australian Nationals (Jan 2025, 100 entries), 12th at the 2025 World Championships in China (99 entries), and 7th at the Sailing Grand Slam – LA (July 2025, 46 entries). These results demonstrate her tactical maturity, competitiveness, and resilience.
Thomson has been named WA Female Sailor of the Year five times (2019, 2021–2024) and was a finalist for Australian Female Sailor of the Year in 2023 and 2024.
Her involvement in Australia’s first Women’s America’s Cup team provided invaluable experience in teamwork and professionalism, which she brings back to her community.
Bridget Conrad
Bridget Conrad had multiple podium finishes this season and also claimed the Australian WASZP Championship, NSW and WA WASZP Championships.
Bridget represented Australia internationally across multiple classes, including Optimist, 420, 470, and Waszp.
She competed in 4x SailGP Inspire Waszp regattas, including placing 3rd at the SailGP Inspire Grand Final in San Francisco. Bridget has her eyes set on becoming the 2026 Female Waszp World Champion after having to skip the 2025 Waszp Worlds due to a conflicting placement for her final year of her Clinical Exercise Physiology degree at USYD.
Laura Harding
Laura Harding is one of Australia’s brightest emerging talents in Olympic sailing. Over the past 12 months she has delivered outstanding performances and contributions to the sport. A fierce competitor, respected teammate, and inspiring role model, Laura combines elite skill with commitment to growing sailing.
Campaigning the 49erFX toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, Laura has trained and competed internationally, racing against the world’s best. Her top result was 8th at the 2025 European Championship—a major achievement in a fleet of Olympic medallists and world champions. She also placed 12th at the 2025 Princesa Sofia Regatta and 1st at 2024 Sail Sydney, confirming her as a leading Olympic-class sailor.
Alongside her Olympic campaign, Laura was selected as port helm for Andoo Team Australia in the inaugural Puig Women’s America’s Cup. She quickly developed skills through intensive simulator and on-water training, leading alongside an accomplished crew.
Laura’s participation cemented her as a trailblazer for women in high-performance sailing and showed her potential on Olympic and professional circuits.
Previous winners
2023-24 Breiana Whitehead
2022-23 Mara Stransky
2021-22 Mara Stransky
2020 - 21 Lisa Darmanin
2019 - 20 Lisa Darmanin
2018 - 19 Nia Jerwood & Monique de Vries
2017 - 18 Wendy Tuck
2016 - 17 Tash Bryant & Annie Wilmot
2015 - 16 Lisa Darmanin
2014 - 15 Lisa Darmanin
2013 - 14 Vanessa Dudley
2012 - 13 Carrie Smith & Ella Clarke
2011 - 12 Olivia Price, Nina Curtis and Lucinda Whitty
2010 - 11 Lyndall Patterson
2009 - 10 Nicole Souter & Rayshele Martin & Nina Curtis & Lucinda Whitty & Kat Stroinovsky & Amanda Scrivenor
2008- 09 Elise Rechichi & Tessa Parkinson
2007 - 08 Elise Rechichi & Tessa Parkinson
2006 - 07 Sarah Blanck
2005 - 06 Allison Shreeve
2004 - 05 Adrienne Cahalan
2003 - 04 Krystal Weir
2002 - 03 Adrienne Cahalan
2001 - 02 Jenny Armstrong OAM & Belinda Stowell OAM
2000 - 01 Jenny Armstrong OAM & Belinda Stowell OAM
1999 - 00 Jessica Crisp
1998-99 Melanie Dennison
1996-98 Sarah Blanck
