This year has delivered another exceptional series of sailing with both new and established competitors featuring in standings.
The six races that make up the Pointscore are some of the most challenging and tactical on the Australian sailing calendar and to compete let alone succeed against the high calibre of competition is a testament to any crew’s skill.
This year’s Pointscore was contested by 36 boats, 11 of which were Double Handed entries.
From the 121-year-old Maritimo Katwinchar which, to the 100-foot maxi Master Lock Comanche, the fleet was truly diverse.
With 104 starters in the Rolex Sydney Hobart, 51 in the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Race and 61 in Cabbage Tree Island, participation in the Pointscore has been incredible this year.
The series would not be possible without the support of our great partners at Audi Centre Sydney. On behalf of our Club and competitors, I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Ashley Horne, Kara Price and Ernest Ruan and the team at Audi Centre Sydney for their support of our racing for over a decade.
A special thank you also goes out to Sean Langman and the Noakes Group and for their enduring sponsorship of the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race.
And finally, a special thank you to Rolex for its ongoing support of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Since 2002 the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and Rolex have been working seamlessly towards further success in the sport, and we could not be prouder of how far we have come.
CYCA Ocean Racer of the Year
Sally Gordon Memorial Trophy for Crew Person of the Year – Michael Bencsik – Cinquante
The award recognises a non-professional crew member that contributes significantly to a program.
Michael “Mix” Bencsik has been a valued member of the CYCA since 1988 and has sailed in 27 Sydney Hobart Yacht Races. Since joining Cinquante in 2020, he has played a crucial role in the yacht’s success in all major long ocean races, including the 2024/25 Audi Centre Sydney Bluewater Pointscore.
During the 2024 season, Mix took on several key roles, including managing the pit, acting as backup helmsman and trimmer, excelling in light to medium conditions.
Michael “Mix” Bencsik has been a valued member of the CYCA since 1988 and has sailed in 27 Sydney Hobart Yacht Races. Since joining Cinquante in 2020, he has played a crucial role in the yacht’s success in all major long ocean races, including the 2024/25 Audi Centre Sydney Bluewater Pointscore.
During the 2024 season, Mix took on several key roles, including managing the pit, acting as backup helmsman and trimmer, excelling in light to medium conditions.
He also served as the crew administrator, overseeing logistics such as crew paperwork, race entries, safety inspections, and food preparation.
His dedication to the team was clear through his reliability, always being among the first to arrive and assist with boat preparation.
Ocean Rookie of the year – Chris Taylor – Le Tiroflan
This trophy goes to someone who, while they may not be a complete stranger to ocean racing, they have campaigned their own boat for the first time in the complete Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore.
This was Chris Taylor’s first season campaigning Le Tiroflan, a Pogo 40, in the ACSBWPS.
His commitment, seamanship and strategic approach have delivered competitive performances across various events, including an impressive Sydney to Hobart result in a challenging year.
Chris has rapidly become a formidable competitor, showing resilience and adaptability in both offshore and inshore races
This was Chris Taylor’s first season campaigning Le Tiroflan, a Pogo 40, in the ACSBWPS.
His commitment, seamanship and strategic approach have delivered competitive performances across various events, including an impressive Sydney to Hobart result in a challenging year.
Chris has rapidly become a formidable competitor, showing resilience and adaptability in both offshore and inshore races
Ocean Racing Veteran of the Year – Geoff Hill – Antipodes
The Ocean Veteran of the Year award goes to a stalwart of the sport, who has either been campaigning for many years
Geoff has been a boat owner since 1982 and is a loyal and hard-working competitor, both overseas and in Australian waters. Since 1987 he has clocked an impressive 120.000 nautical miles of Ocean racing.
His first ocean racing yacht was the 43′ Boffin. Since, he has owned seven different racing yachts, which he campaigned thoroughly throughout Australia, Europe and the USA.
Some of Geoffrey’s races include: 21 Sydney Hobarts, with one overall win in 2006 on Love & War, four Rolex China Sea Races, 4 Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Races, one Transpac and many many more.
Congratulations Geoff on becoming the Ocean Racing Veteran of the Year.
Youth Ocean Racer of the Year – Garth Bickford
The Youth Ocean Racer of the Year Award goes to a sailor under the age of 25 who has shown great commitment to ocean racing.
Garth has been a passionate sailor for over ten years and loves all his time on the water.
Just over a year ago, Garth joined the Club’s YSA program, to join the teams over their winter training program. Before then he has been racing out of the Club for five years on a variety of boats. Ranging from TP52’s Zen, Smuggler and KOA.
From inshore and regatta racing with Victoire, winter series with Andiamo GS40, Zen TP52, Minerva DK42, Tempo Kernan 44 and many other boats.
From inshore and regatta racing with Victoire, winter series with Andiamo GS40, Zen TP52, Minerva DK42, Tempo Kearnan44 and many other boats.
His end-goal is winning the Rolex Sydney Hobart. Congratulations on becoming the Youth Ocean Racer of the Year.
Female Ocean Racer of the Year – Jiang Lin – Min River
The Female Ocean Racer of the Year trophy recognises the success of a female ocean racer in any crew role and their contribution to an offshore racing program.
Jiang tackles offshore races, double-handed, making an already tough challenge even harder.
Jiang has demonstrated unbelievable consistency to continually achieve top class results. In a gruelling RSHYR she finished an outstanding fourth in Double Handed IRC.
She has demonstrated that she is continually improving. Congratulations Jiang on becoming Female Ocean Racer of the Year
Ocean Racing Navigator of the Year – David van der Wende – Smuggler
The Ocean Navigator of the Year award recognises the integral role that navigators play in a successful campaign.
David, or as the Smuggler crew calls him: Wendos! He is his team’s favourite Kiwi navigator. Wendos has been part of the Smuggler team for many years, and started campaigning with Sebastian on his previous boat, Smuggler, the Roger’s 46.
David always has a calming effect on the crew during races and can almost always be found wearing mostly shorts, a t-shirt and sometimes no shoes!
David flies from New Zealand ahead of any ACSBWPS races and he is extremely knowledgeable with Australian waters and navigates the best track with no stress.
Congratulations David on becoming the Ocean Racing Navigator of the Year.
Double Handed Ocean Racer of the Year – Rupert Henry – Mistral
The Double Handed Ocean Racer of the Year award was introduced in 2022 to recognise this exciting area of our sport as it continues to grow.
Rupert is known to set the standard when it comes to Double Handed racing and has claimed top honours three consecutive times in the Double Handed divisions in the RSHYR.
In 2024 he did so with a 10-hour margin on corrected time. But his performance didn’t end there. He came second overall in the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast race, winning the Double Handed Division.
Rupert’s racing horizon doesn’t end in Australian waters, last year in September he contested the Normandy Channel Race. A race of over 1000 nautical miles in the English Channel and the Celtic Sea, starting and finishing in Caen in Normandy, France
Rupert and his crew Corentin Douguet (who raced together in the 2024 RSHYR) finished a highly creditable 7th overall less than 3 hours behind the winner after 5 days of hard racing.
Congratulations Rupert on winning the Double Handed Ocean Racer of the Year award. For his ongoing commitment and success in participating and promotion of Double Handed racing in Australia.
Ocean Racer of the Year – Sebastian Bohm – Smuggler
This award is the most prestigious of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s awards and is presented to the leader of an Australian Ocean Racing campaign who has excelled above others during the qualification period.
Sebastian, has been campaigning his TP52 Smuggler since purchasing the boat in 2019 and competes in just about every race that the CYCA holds.
Besides creating a fantastic racing program, he also succeeds in creating a great atmosphere within his crew. Sebastian not only races to win, but also to have a good time with friends and winning amongst friends makes it even better.
Smuggler’s performance has been on the rise for years but during the past Pointscore it was an absolute standout.
Congratulations Seb on becoming Ocean Racer of the Year! We hope to see you competing in our races for many years to come
