The CYCA and our Members are in contention to win a number of categories at the prestigious 2026 NSW & ACT Sailing Awards after Australian Sailing announced the finalists today.
The NSW & ACT Sailing Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements, dedication and contributions of sailors, clubs, coaches, officials, volunteers and industry leaders from across our sailing community.
The CYCA has been recognised as a finalist in the Club of the Year – Category A, while Andy Green, Ben Lamb and Cole Tapper are amongst four contenders for the Male Sailor of the Year. Both Andy Green and Cole Tapper are graduates of the CYCA Youth Sailing Academy.
Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race winner Jiang Lin heads the list of finalists for Female Sailor of the Year, while Jackie Sapir is a finalist in the Volunteer of the Year field, as a Race Committee member for Club and YSA events. John Whitfield is a finalist for Official of the Year, having umpired at all CYCA Youth Sailing Academy events over the past two seasons, along with countless other events nationwide.
Bacchanal, off the back of winning the 2025/26 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore, and Kairos Racing, who scored an historic Congressional Cup win in May, are squaring off in the Team of the Year category.
Tara Blanc-Ramos has been recognised amongst four finalists for the Sport Professional Award. Blanc-Ramos is also a graduate of the CYCA Youth Sailing Academy before stepping into the Sailing Office more than a decade ago. Over the past six years she has been the Sailing Manager of the CYCA overseeing all Club racing and the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
The NSW & ACT Sailing Awards will be on Saturday 19 September at Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron. Tickets for the event can be purchased here: NSW/ACT Sailing Awards 2026, with registration for tickets closing on 13 September.
2026 Finalists – NSW & ACT
Club of the Year – Category A
- Canberra Yacht Club
- Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
- Lake Macquarie Yacht Club
- Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club
Club of the Year – Category B
- Carcoar Dam Sailing Club
- Hunters Hill Sailing Club
- Saltwater Veterans Sailing Project
Male Sailor of the Year
- Andy Green – Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
- Ben Lamb – Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
- Cole Tapper – Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
- James Mayo – Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron / Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club
Female Sailor of the Year
- Jiang Lin – Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
- Lyndall Patterson – Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club
- Sarah Lee – Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club / St George Sailing Club
- Zoe Dransfield – Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club
Youth Sailor of the Year
- Connor Radford – Belmont 16ft Sailing Club
- Healy Ryan – Double Bay Sailing Club
- Mia Austin & Zara Marks – Woollahra Sailing Club
- Walter Heeley – Woollahra Sailing Club
Team of the Year
- Bacchanal – Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
- Brin Liddell & Rhiannan Brown – Wangi Amateur Sailing Club
- Kairos Racing – Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
- Team Magpie – Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron
Coach of the Year
- Brady Lowe – Australian Sailing NSW Performance Pathways
- Darren Bundock – Australian Sailing
- Victor Kovalenko – Middle Harbour Yacht Club
- Zac West – Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron
Instructor of the Year
- Ian Murray – Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club
- Scott Reynolds – Saltwater Veterans Sailing Project
Official of the Year
- Evan McHugh – Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club / RMYC Toronto
- Gerry Brooks – Canberra Yacht Club
- John Whitfield – Canberra Yacht Club / Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
Volunteer of the Year
- Gerry Brooks – Canberra Yacht Club
- Jackie Sapir – Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
- Mark Hooper – Georges River Sailing Club
- Sean Wong – Saltwater Veterans Sailing Project
She Sails Award
- Canberra Yacht Club SheSails
- Ladies of the Sea Coaching Regatta – Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron
- NSW Opti Chicks Regatta – NSW International Optimist Dinghy Association
- Women’s Sailing Courses – Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club
Sport Professional Award
- Jennifer Reynolds – Saltwater Veterans Sailing Project
- Scott Reynolds – Saltwater Veterans Sailing Project
- Simon Turpin – Lake Macquarie Yacht Club
- Tara Blanc-Ramos – Cruising Yacht Club of Australia
Sport Promotion Award
- Alessio De Giosa – Hunters Hill Sailing Club / NSWIODA
- Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club
- Sail Port Stephens – Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club
- Saltwater Veterans Sailing Project
Innovation Award
- Helm – Making Waves Foundation
- BYRA Boatbuilding Program – Bayview Yacht Racing Association
- Terry Wetton – TP52 Class / Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club
Other Awards
The Para Sailor of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement Award recipients will be announced at the NSW & ACT Sailing Awards Presentation.
