2013 Australian Yachting Awards finalists announced

(September 30, 2013) – Yachting Australia has announced the finalists for the 2013 Australian Yachting Awards, with winners to be selected in seven categories, Male Sailor of the Year, Female Sailor of the Year, Sailor of the Year with a Disability, Youth Sailor of the Year, Sport Professional Award, Sport Promotion Award and Volunteer Award. A Lifetime Achievement Award and the Yachting Australia President’s Award will also be presented.

The Male Sailor of the Year category will see 470 World Champions Mathew Belcher and Will Ryan, Laser world number one Tom Burton, Artemis Racing’s America’s Cup skipper Nathan Outteridge and sailing speed record holder Paul Larsen going head to head for the award.

In the Female Sailor of the Year category the award will go to either Nacra 17 sailor Lisa Darmanin, Youth World Champions Carrie Smith and Ella Clark or 470 sailors Elise Rechichi and Sarah Cook.

There are five finalists in the Sailor of the Year with a Disability category, 2.4mR sailor Matt Bugg, Neil Patterson, Russell Phillips and Genevieve Wickham, all who have contested a number of classes, and Sonar crew Colin Harrison, Stephen Harris and Russell Boaden.

The winner of the Youth Sailor of the Year Award will be either ISAF Youth Sailing World Champions Carrie Smith and Ella Clark, ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship silver medallists Paul Darmanin and Lucy Copeland, Laser 4.7 sailor Conor Nicholas or O’pen Bic sailor Kristen Wadley.

The Sport Professional Award will be presented to either Grant Alderson, Richard Hewett or Bob Silberberg.

The Sport Promotion Award will be decided between two finalists, Canberra Yacht Club and Noosa Yacht & Rowing Club.

Australian sailing legend Syd Fischer will be recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award on the night, along with renowned sailing journalist Ian Grant, who passed away earlier this year.

There are four finalists in the Volunteer Award category, John Burgess, John Taylor, Graham White and Daivd Price, who have all made significant voluntary contribution to the sport of sailing.

Yachting Australia President David Gotze will also present the President’s Awards, with the recipient to be announced on the night.

All nominations are in respect of performances and achievements during the period 1 September 2012 – 10 September 2013 except for the Lifetime Achievement Award, Sport Professional Award and the Volunteer Award, which focus on longer term contribution to yachting.

The winners of the 2013 Australian Yachting Awards will be announced on Friday 18 October at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney.

Report by Craig Heydon, Communications Coordinator