During the 2020 Annual General Meeting, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Members recognised Matt Allen’s Contribution the Club and Ocean Racing when he was elected to become a Life Member.
Matt has made a significant contribution to the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and the sport of sailing across Australia and around the world, both on and off the water.
Matt (pictured below, with the spoils of victory from the 2019 Rolex Sydney Hobart) has been a Member of the CYCA since 1999, serving as a Board Member from 2002-2005, Vice Commodore from 2005-2007 and as Commodore from 2007-2010. During that time, Matt also served on a large number of Committees – AP&R 2002-2010; Training & Development 2003-2007; Member Services 2003-2005; RSHYR Planning 2004-2011; Disciplinary 2005-2007; Archives 2008-2010; and Redevelopment 2008-2016. In addition to this, Matt has also acted as Trustee of the SOLAS Trusts from 2005-present, and as Chairman of the SOLAS Trusts from 2008-2017.
Away from the Club, Matt has made a huge impact on sailing across the country and internationally, serving in a range of roles for Australian Sailing, the Australian Olympic Committee and World Sailing Oceanic & Offshore Committee. At Australian Sailing he served as a Board member from 2011-2019; as Vice President from 2012-2013; and as President from 2013-2019. He has been a Hall of Fame panel Member from 2017-present.
Matt has served as both a member of the Australian Olympic Committee and as the AOC’s Finance Commission Chair from 2017-present. He is currently the Vice Chair of the World Sailing Oceanic & Offshore Committee as
well as President of the Australia Day Regatta and acted as an Arbitration Panel member for the 35th America’s Cup. He was Rear Commodore of the Royal Ocean Racing Club from 2013-2015, and Chair of Australia’s only Volvo Ocean Race Challenge 2005/06, representing CYCA.
On the water, Matt has achieved phenomenal success, particularly in recent years. He has raced in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 30 times, for three wins, his first as the boat captain for Lou Abrahams in 1983. Matt has been the owner/skipper in 19 of the past 20 ‘Hobarts’, the past three in his immaculately prepared Botin 52, Ichi Ban, for two overall victories and a fifth. He has claimed a plethora of awards including Ocean Racer of the Year 2004, 2005 and 2018; CYCA Blue Water Champion in 2004, 2018 and 2019; RORC Yacht of the Year (First Australian Yacht) 2018; IRC National Champion in 2004, 2018, 2019 and 2020; ORCi National Champion in 2018 and 2019; and Australian Offshore Sailor of the Year – 2019. Matt was awarded an AM for contribution to sailing in 2019.
