Three Top Performances Celebrated for Team of the Year Finalists
Three World Championship performances spearhead the Team of the Year Award, replacing the Offshore Sailor of the Year Award, at the 2025 Australian Sailing Awards.
It will be tough to split the teams of Sandy Higgins and Paul Marsh (SA), Team Magpie (NSW/ACT) and Peter Nicholas and Luke Payne (WA) who have all had successful campaigns.
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:
Sandy Higgins and Paul Marsh (SA)
The 505 World Championships in Adelaide in January 2025 was a culmination of Sandy and Paul’s campaigning for nearly 25 years.
Over that time, they’ve claimed multiple Australian Championships and earned podium finishes at previous 505 World Championships, both domestically and overseas.
Sandy and Paul built a new boat for the Adelaide Worlds. Paul, who was working in Thailand, regularly returned to Adelaide to train with Sandy in preparation for the event. Both managed full-time careers while preparing for the regatta, dedicating time to on-water training, regular gym sessions, and meticulous boat maintenance and tuning.
Competing at this level for so long requires extraordinary commitment, resilience, and an intuitive connection between sailors.
It should be noted that Sandy and Paul stepped in at the last minute to gave, their spare mast to local sailor Robin Cross, enabling him to compete in his final 505 regatta after more than 35 years in the class. Robin was sincerely grateful for the gesture, which stands as a testament to Sandy and Paul’s sportsmanship and generosity.
Team Magpie (NSW/ACT)
The team consisting of; James Mayo, Graeme Taylor (GT), Ben Lamb and Richard Allanson claimed back-to-back Etchells World Championship and Pre-World Regatta wins in 2024 and 2025.
Team Magpie also claimed victory at the 2024 Royal Brighton Christmas lead-up regatta, and their sixth Australian National Championship title (Metung, 2024).
Over the last decade, Team Magpie has earned over 35 podium finishes at national and international levels. Their consistency, speed, and tactical sharpness set them apart.
Equally impressive is their contribution off the water. The team openly shares tuning guides, setup knowledge, and strategic insights to support the wider Etchells fleet. Their willingness to improve the class as a whole shows great leadership and character.
Team Magpie exemplifies excellence, both in results and in the way they support the Etchells community. In addition to their dominance in the Australian scene, their results on the world stage are a symbol of their commitment and engagement to their sailing.
Peter Nicholas and Luke Payne (WA)
Peter and Luke are a formidable team and have demonstrated unwavering commitment, resilience,and passion for sailing.
Peter and Luke led the fleet throughout the 2025 Worlds in Adelaide but narrowly missed back-to-back World titles, finishing second overall. However, they secured victory in the Australian Championships, reinforcing their elite standing in the class.
Peter and Luke claimed the 2024 505 World Championship (95 boats) and placed second in 2025 (70 boats), demonstrating their excellence, consistency, and unwavering drive.
Their partnership began at the 2011 505 World Championships in Hamilton Island, quickly evolving into a decade-long journey of world-class performance. In 2012, they finished 7th out of 188 boats, and in 2014, they claimed an impressive second place at the Worlds.
Previous Winners:
2023-24 Olivia Price and Evie Haseldine
2022-23 Australia SailGP Team
2021-22 Lisa Blair
2020-21 Duncan Hine
2018-19 Matt Allen AM
2017-18 Wendy Tuck