Congratulations to the South Australian Award Winners announced at club opening days on Saturday 8^th October.

Club of the Year

Winner: Adelaide Sailing Club

Adelaide Sailing Club has successfully been involved with Sailability SA and has a fleet of Hansa Class Yachts, hosting the 2022 Hansa Class National Championships as well as a number of class states.

The Adelaide Sailing has a strong partnership with SA School Teams Sailing, hosting the SA Metro Championships and being a home base for several school sailing teams.

The Adelaide Sailing Club hosts fringe sailing events and has a very strong community of volunteers and looking forward to a big couple of years with the ICLA World, National and Masters in 2024 and the International 505 World Championships announced for 2025.

ShesSails Award

Winner:  Louise Edwards from Goolwa Regatta Yacht Club

Louise was the key instigator of the Goolwa Regatta Yacht Club (GRYC) SheSails committee and program that commenced with the 2021-22 sailing season. The increase in the participation of women in all on-water activities at GRYC has been successful in its first year. As a measure of Louise’s success, the GRYC women in sailing participation rate has increased from 9% in 2018, to close to the national average of 35% in 2022.   Congratulation Louise also has been announced as National finalist for the SheSails Award, with the winner to be announced at the 2022 Australian Sailing Awards on November 4 in Sydney.

Female Sailor of the Year

Winner: Ellen Sampson and Fallon Katz from Brighton & Seacliff Yacht Club

Skipper Ellen Sampson and Crew Fallon Katz from the Brighton& Seacliff Yacht Club, sailing in the International 420 Class.  Female National Champions and qualifying for the Australian Youth Sailing Team.  Ellen and Fallon travelled with the AYST to The Hauge, The Netherlands in July 2022, finishing 20^th overall. Ellen and Fallon have also been awarded scholarships with the South Australian Institute of Sport based on results from the 2021/22 Season.

Youth Sailor of the Year

Winner: Ben Hinks and Carter Baker from Brighton & Seacliff Yacht Club and Largs Bay Sailing Club

Skipper Ben Hinks and crew Carter Baker (Largs Bay Sailing Club, Brighton & Seacliff Sailing Club, SA 420 Association) Australian 420 National Championships, Ben and Carter were awarded a place in the Australian Youth Team along with 16 other athletes from various classes heading to The Hague, Netherlands to compete in the 2022 Youth Sailing World Championships, finishing 16^th overall. Ben and Carter have also been awarded scholarships with the South Australian Institute of Sport based on results from the 2021/22 Season.  Ben and Carter have been announced as National finalists for Youth Sailor of the Year, with the winner to be announced at the 2022 Australian Sailing Awards on November 4 in Sydney.

Official of the Year

Winner: Marcus Cooper from Henley Sailing Club

Marcus Cooper, Commodore of Henley Sailing Club, is a qualified race officer at the national and state level as well as holding dinghy, dinghy racing, powerboat, and safety boat instructor qualifications. This past season he contributed to the conduct of HSCs local racing and program, the HSC leg of the tri-series (including managing the event), the Mirror States at Goolwa, SA Summer of Sail at RSAYS (including assistant management), Opti states at LBSC, Opti frostbite at GAC and Kite Foiling heats at HSC. In recent years, he also contributed to multiple youth tri-series events at other clubs and the 2020 Mosquito nationals at ASC. Often giving up his own time for sailing (a proven accomplished sailor himself) to help run sailing programs locally or at other clubs.  Congratulation Marcus also has been announced as a National finalist for Official of the Year with the winner to be announced at the 2022 Australian Sailing Awards on November 4 in Sydney.

Instructor of the Year

Winner: Ella Anderson from Brighton & Seacliff Yacht Club

Ella has been instructing with a range of groups including Tackers, adults, teenagers, and holiday

programs plus the visiting daytime primary schools and secondary schools involved in teams racing at the Brighton & Seacliff Yacht Club.  She can adapt to any age group and discipline. More recently Ella has become a sought-after Green Fleet Optimist and is a favourite with the junior sailors. Ella is a friend, a mentor, a skilled and responsible instructor and always, always has a smile on her face. 

Coach of the Year

Winner: Alex Higgins from Brighton & Seacliff Yacht Club

Alex is a committed coach whom the sailors look up to as a very highly skilled sailor himself.

Coaching for 2021/2022 focus on the South Australian Optimist Team and Westminster School Sailing Team, which Alex led to a State Championship win at Goolwa Regatta Yacht Club and with this achievement the team was invited to the National School Teams Racing Championships in Sydney. Commitment, leadership, and sportsmanship is what Alex is at the highest level.

Sports Promotion Award

Winner: Adam South from Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron

The Flood Support Sailing Day on April 29th, 2022, conducted by The Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron (RSAYS) in conjunction with Saltwater Veterans was an opportunity to take soldiers and officers away from their day-to-day tasks and put the focus back onto themselves and developing their skills. The squadron was exceptional in organizing the event and remained flexible when soldiers were extended in NSW due to the on-going support to the 1 flood. The input from both organizations was voluntary and they gave their time, experience, and boats for the day. Whilst a key output of the day was putting ADF members out of their comfort zones, it was also an opportunity to link in with the veteran and sailing community in South Australia.

A total of 72 current and former serving members of the ADF attended the event with varying ages between 19-53. The squadron is heavily involved in female sailing so it was a delight to have 24 female serving members of the ADF in attendance this day.

The program was a great way to enhance the partnership between RSAYS and Saltwater Veterans and will form a basis for further growth in encouraging greater participation in sailing from the Defence community for many years to come.

Volunteer of the Year

Winner: David Eldridge from Royal South Australia Yacht Squadron

David is a passionate member of the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron, who gives up countless hours organizing and providing assistance to the Squadron.   David has initiated numerous activities to enhance the club and is a leader is coordinating projects and fundraising at RSAYS.

He instigated the Squadron’s Friday night raffle and weekly members draw to bring in members and non-members to socialize and make connections. Some of the bigger projects David has worked on include being the driving force for the King of the Gulf Regatta which has become the biggest sailing regatta for both multihull and mono-hull boats in South Australia. David was responsible for winning a Sports and Recreation grant from the state government for $50,000 for the upgrade of the Squadron’s toilet facilities. David then went a step further and proceeded to organize groups to help paint, install, and update our toilet and showers.

David was awarded The Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron “Volunteer of the Year” award in 2022. 

Sports Professional Award

Winner: Maddy Salter from Adelaide Sailing Club

Maddy Salter joined ASC in the 2020/2021 season as both Sailing School Manager and Membership Manager. Maddy has made an instant and positive impact on our club, its members and particularly our growing junior members and their families.  Maddy is the Sailing School Principal and She-Sails representative for ASC as well as a qualified instructor in Dinghy, Keelboat and sailing coach

demonstrating her proactivity in up-skilling and professional development is ongoing.

Maddy has been on involved in the running of major club events at the national and state level.

Maddy is an outstanding member of ASC and the SA sailing community.

Congratulation Maddy has also been announced as the National finalist for Sport Professional Award, with the winner to be announced at the 2022 Australian Sailing Awards on November 4 in Sydney.