Three well-respected and committed sailors have been recognised as finalists for the National Para Sailor of the Year award, with the winner to be announced at the Australian Sailing Awards on the 3^rd November, 2023.

A talented and committed sailor, Lachlan Clear, has dedicated himself to competition over the 2022-23 sailing season.

Clear contested both the New South Wales and Victorian Hansa Class Championships and travelled to Hiroshima in October for the Asia-Pacific Hansa Class Championships and Para Sailing World Championships in the Liberty, placing fifth and fourth respectively at the latter two regattas.

Sailing a Liberty, Clear also placed sixth at the Australian Hansa Class Championships in Wynyard, Tasmania in April this year.

Furthermore, Clear is the founder and President of Deaf Sailing NSW, acting as the driving force behind the organisation, which has arranged a number of training days for novice and developing deaf sailors.

Lachlan Clear

No stranger to this award, having won it the last five years in a row, Chris Symonds is an inspiration to the para sailing community.

As well as championing the campaign to have para sailing included in the 2024 Paris Paralympics, Symonds has competed nationally and international in the Hansa 303 class this season.

In October 2022, Symonds placed first at the Asia Pacific Championships in the Hansa 303 Doubles and fifth in the Men’s Hansa 303 Singles. He also placed fifth at the Para World Sailing Championships in Hiroshima in the same class.

In addition, Symonds is actively involved in the para sailing community, acting as the Vice President of Sailability Tasmania and as the Commodore of Wynyard Yacht Club, and is personally involved in skippering the Sailability sessions at his club.

Chris Symonds

Victorian delegate for the Australian Hansa Class Association and member of the Para World Sailing Committee Inclusion Working Party, Alison Weatherly, has achieved top finishes across multiple regattas and classes.

Weatherly finished third at the 2022 Para Sailing World Championship in the Women’s Hansa 303 class in October 2022, before backing up her podium finish with a gold medal at the Victorian Hansa Class Championships in February, an event which she organised.

In the same month, she placed first at the 2023 Australian Para Sailing Championship in the Liberty Open.

Weatherly is actively involved in the para sailing community and is an inspiration to female para sailors Australia-wide.

Alison Weatherly

The winner of Para Sailor 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.