Three incredible Instructors from around Australia have been announced as finalists for the Instructor of the Year award, with the winner to be announced at the Australian Sailing Awards on November 3 in Sydney.

Having sailed at Keppel Bay Sailing Club (KBSC) since she was nine years old, Sophie Baynton gained her Assistant Instructors qualification in 2013 and her Instructors qualification in 2022.

Baynton is a qualified Dinghy Instructor who currently manages all aspects of KBSC’s Tackers, Green Fleet, Silver Fleets, Learn to Sail, Feva fleets, She Sails, and school-based training. As head instructor, Baynton ensures no child is left behind in their development, organising up to three Instructors and six Assistant Instructors to facilitate up to 30 junior sailors at the local Causeway Lake every Sunday.

Baynton also was instrumental in developing SheSails Start Sailing 1 and 2 at the club, and in June 2023 organised KBSC’s inaugural all women’s regatta. Held over two days, this event saw 35 women participate on 21 boats.

Sophie Baynton

Volunteer Robert Cooper is the Sailing School Principal at Rye Yacht Club (RYC) and oversees and coordinates 12 instructors (six Tackers instructors, two assistant instructors and approximately 25 volunteers) to ensure RYC can deliver their programs successfully.

Cooper is the leading instructor for the OutThere Sailing program, the two Development Squad Coaching groups, an Adult Coaching group, all Powerboat Courses, Foil Labs and Learn to Wing Programs. He also oversees the Adult Learn to Sail Program (Start Sailing 1 and 2) and the Tackers Combined Program (1, 2 and 3) which are run by other Instructors. In addition, Cooper has introduced kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding to the club’s curriculum. These additions have been incredibly successful, with the local school, Rye Primary, enrolling all of its Year 6 students.

Cooper always embraces change and new ideas and commits countless hours to the Sailing School to help the Club grow and move forward.

Robert Cooper

Natasha Nisbet became an instructor at the beginning of 2021, taking to the role with incredible talent and commitment and quickly becoming one of the most respected staff members at Woollahra Sailing Club (WSC).

Nisbet completed over 850 hours of work for WSC over the nomination period, leading more than 400 sessions, and was voted by her peers as the 2023 WSC Instructor of the Year. Nisbet always makes herself available to assist the assistant instructors and trainees at her club and has mentored dozens of female instructors throughout 2022-23, many of which have progressed into more senior roles.

WSC has experienced growth and retention in all areas that Nisbet has been involved in, with hundreds of new students learning to sail dinghies since 2021.

Additionally, Nisbet has progressed into coaching, and has played a key role in developing the new tier of performance pathways within the sailing school.

The winner of Instructor of the Year will be announced at the 2023 Australian Sailing Awards in Sydney on November 3. For more information on the National Awards as well as ticket availability, click here.