National Finalists announced for 2025 Australian Sailing Awards

Australian Sailing Awards 2024 winners © Australian Sailing

A stellar line-up of clubs, volunteers and sailing stars from around the country have been named as national finalists for the 2025 Australian Sailing Awards.

The nation's peak sailing awards will recognise the most outstanding performances from Australia's sailors, while also paying tribute to clubs and volunteers when the winners are announced at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney on Friday 14 November.

Finalists in the Female and Male Sailor of the Year categories include major regatta medallists, America's Cup winners and World Champions across multiple classes.

The Female Sailor of the Year category will be hotly contested with finalists including Bridget Conrad (NSW/ACT), Zoe Thomson (WA) and Laura Harding (VIC).

Paris Olympian Zoe Thomson had a key breakthrough in 2025 with her first overall international win at the Sailing Grand Slam - Palma in March, Bridget Conrad had multiple podium finishes this season and claimed the Australian WASZP Championship, NSW and WA WASZP Championships, while Laura Harding teamed with Annie Wilmot to secure big results across the 49erFX class.

In the Male Sailor of the Year category, the line up of national finalists includes Mark Bulka (VIC), Nathan Outteridge (NSW/ACT) and James Mayo (NSW/ACT).

Mark Bulka became a five-time World Champion when he won the Contender Worlds in Italy in August at Fraglia Vela Malcesine, capping off a strong 2025 campaign where he had multiple first place and podium finishes. Nathan Outteridge climbed the summit of world sailing when he became the fourth Aussie to helm an America's Cup winning campaign, while James Mayo became a three-time World Etchells champion, winning unprecedented back-to-back titles.

Four clubs are in the running for the Club of the Year (Category A) including Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (WA), Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (NSW/ACT), Royal Brighton Yacht Club (VIC) and Southport Yacht Club (QLD), while another four clubs are competing for the Category B Club of the Year award including Saltwater Veterans Sailing Project (NSW/ACT), Port Dalrymple Yacht Club (TAS), Davey's Bay Yacht Club (VIC) and Cleveland Yacht Club (QLD).

One of the most anticipated awards of the night will be the Volunteer of the Year award, where a host of amazing candidates will be highlighted including Julia Hornsby (NSW/ACT), Rosaline Marshall (VIC) and Donnah Jordan (QLD).

Other awards on the night will include Youth Sailor of the Year, Para Sailor of the Year, Team of the Year, Coach of the Year, Instructor of the Year, Official of the Year and many others as the Australian Sailing community gathers to salute another outstanding season.

Winners will be announced at the National Sailing Awards and Hall of Fame Induction Dinner on Friday, November 14 at Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney. You will be able to follow the Australian Sailing Facebook and Instagram channels which will be announcing the winners live on the night.

The full list of finalists for the 2025 Australian Sailing Awards is as follows:

Female Sailor of the Year

• Bridget Conrad (Woollahra Sailing Club, NSW/ACT)
• Laura Harding (Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron, VIC)
• Zoe Thomson (Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club and East Fremantle Yacht Club, WA)

• Mark Bulka (McCrae Yacht Club, VIC)
• James Mayo (Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club, NSW/ACT)
• Nathan Outteridge (Wangi Amateur Sailing Club, NSW)

• Sandy Higgins and Paul Marsh (Brighton & Seacliff Yacht Club, SA)
• Peter Nicholas and Luke Payne (Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, WA)
• Team Magpie (Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club, NSW/ACT)

• Peter Coleman (Royal Brighton Yacht Club, VIC)
• Chris Symonds (Wynyard Yacht Club, TAS)
• Genevieve Wickham (Royal Perth Yacht Club, WA)

• Joshua Garner (Royal Geelong Yacht Club, VIC)
• Rory Meehan (Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, QLD)
• Louis Tilly (Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, NSW/ACT)

• Tony Bull (Royal Geelong Yacht Club, VIC)
• Mikael Lundh (Australian Sailing Team, WA)
• Rafael Trujillo (Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron and Australian Sailing Team, QLD)

• Royal Brighton Yacht Club (VIC)
• Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (WA)
• Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (NSW/ACT)
• Southport Yacht Club (QLD)

• Cleveland Yacht Club (QLD)
• Davey's Bay Yacht Club (VIC)
• Port Dalrymple Yacht Club (TAS)
• Saltwater Veterans Sailing Project (NSW/ACT)

• Airlie Beach Race Week (Whitsunday Sailing Club, QLD)
• Alan Young (Adelaide Sailing Club, SA)
• Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club 100% Day (Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, WA)

• Samantha Bailey (Wynyard Yacht Club, TAS)
• Lucas James (Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron, VIC)
• Makenzie Mayne (Lane Cove 12ft Sailing Skiff Club, NSW/ACT)

• Rob Hubbard (Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, WA)
• Ian Ross (Derwent Sailing Squadron, TAS)
• Ken Semple (Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, NSW/ACT)

• Eleanor Cunningham (Lake Macquarie Yacht Club, NSW/ACT)
• Robyn Ragauskas (Sandringham Yacht Club, VIC)
• South Australian Women's Keelboat Regatta (Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia, SA)

• Gemma Burns (Sandringham Yacht Club, VIC)
• Colleen Darcey (Derwent Sailing Squadron, TAS)
• Jacqueline Ellis (Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, NSW/ACT)
• Chelsea Hall (Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, WA)

• Geographe Bay Race Week (Geographe Bay Yacht Club, WA)
• Making Waves Foundation (NSW/ACT)
• VIODA - Leah Keh (VIC International Optimist Dinghy Association, VIC)

• Julia Hornsby (Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, NSW/ACT)
• Donnah Jordan (Mackay Sailing Club, QLD)
• Rosaline Marshall (Albury Wodonga Sailing Club and VIC International Optimist Dinghy Association, VIC)