Always a highly competitive division, each of the 2022 Male Sailor of the Year finalists have achieved some of the highest accolades in sailing, with numerous Olympic and World Championship Gold medals between them. The winner will be announced at the Australian Sailing Awards in Sydney on November 4, where the entire sailing community will celebrate their high-performance achievements.

The first finalist is household name Tom Slingsby OAM from Woollahra Sailing Club.

Tom has put together a phenomenal 2021-22 season, with significant international wins across three types of boats on oceans and waterways the world over.

Tom's achievements in 2021 were recognised by World Sailing when he claimed his second Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award in December last year.

Over the past 12 months Tom defended his Moth World Championship, winning 13 of the 14 races, securing back-to-back 2019 and 2021 title wins.

Tom has also set the standard in the global SailGP circuit, winning four of the five events in the nomination period including the end of season Grand Final.

He put the finishing touches on a fantastic year with his role as helmsman on ‘Comanche’, the monohull that won the 2021 Rolex Middle Sea Race on IRC time correction and line honours, whilst also breaking the monohull race record.

Chris Symonds is Commodore of Wynyard Yacht Club on the Northwest Coast of Tasmania and is very active within the club and in the broader sport of sailing.

Despite suffering Kennedy’s Disease, he has incredible personal commitment to training with his team. He encourages others to become involved in training in all types of boats, though has a particular soft spot for the Hansa 303's.

His remarkable achievements on the water over the last 12 months started in 2021 when Chris contested the Para World Championships Hansa 303 in Palmero Sicily in Italy, winning the Doubles, finishing third in the Male and fourth in the Open categories.

In 2022 he has notched a string of victories, from Sail Melbourne 303 Singles to the Italian Nationals 303 Doubles and Para Doubles, and the UK Nationals Carsington Waters Hansa 303 Doubles.

He is a man with such humble spirit and willingness to always help others to achieve their best, even when they are his competitors.

His determination to achieve his best despite the impact of Kennedys Disease is amazing, building a support team to deal with every aspect of his training, mental preparation, and endurance necessary to succeed.

He rarely misses club activities including Saturday Morning Sailing, Afternoon Racing, interclub Events, Sailability, Discover Sailing as well as at the Management Committee. Chris is truly an inspiration to all.

The last finalist in the category is Matt Wearn OAM from the Royal Perth Yacht Club and Fremantle Sailing Club in Western Australia.

Originally inspired by Olympic champions Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson, Matt Wearne is an Olympic Gold medalist in the Laser class.

Wearne continues to show why he remains the man to beat in the highly competitive ILCA 7 (Laser) class despite a year disrupted with Covid.

Wearne backed up his Tokyo victory with a second place at his comeback regatta in a field of 163 boats at the Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma this year.

Unfortunately, a bout of COVID impacted the rest of his European campaign, forcing him to withdraw from the World Championships.

And after missing the first day of racing at the Semaine Olympique Française Hyeres he pulled himself back to finish a creditable fifth from 129 boats.

The winner will be announced at the Australian Sailing Awards in Sydney on November 4. To read more about the awards, click here.