The Australian Sailing Awards recognise the outstanding contributions and/or achievements of individuals associated with the sport of sailing in each state. Alongside recognising our sport's people, the awards acknowledge the huge contribution made by volunteers and media representatives.

 

Nominations open: 2nd June 2023

Nominations close:  11:59pm AEST 31st July 2023

Performance Nomination period:  1st August 2022 – 31st July 2023

Click here to view the Conditions of Entry

 

Helpful Links

Please ensure relevant information is provided and checked via the Australian Sailing membership system. This includes valid Australian Sailing numbers and qualifications (where applicable). To assist you in your nomination please use the AS Number Checker and Qualification Finder (links below). 

AUSTRALIAN SAILING NUMBER CHECKER

AUSTRALIAN SAILING QUALIFICATION CHECKER

To help you prepare your nomination, please also find a document containing a list of questions for all awards below:

AWARDS QUESTIONS

Coach of the Year Criteria

• Must be a fully qualified and current Australian Sailing coach as well as a member of a club in this state to be nominated for the state awards.
• Quality of sporting performance(s) throughout the nomination period: 1st August 2022 – 31st July 2023, considering the relative depth and level of competition.
• Demonstrated behaviours such as sportsmanship, fair play, respect and integrity.
• Contribution to broader coaching community (eg coach education and development, mentoring, knowledge sharing, embracing innovation and inspiring others).
• The individual shall have demonstrated exceptional levels of continuing self-development; and leadership of other people in their development.
• The individual must be of good character and known for displaying good sportsmanship.

Instructor of the Year Criteria

• Must be a fully qualified and current Australian Sailing instructor (Dinghy, Powerboat, Keelboat, Windsurf, Safety & Sea Survival), working at an accredited Centre.
• Nominee must be a member of a club in this state to be nominated for the state awards.
• The individual shall have demonstrated exceptional levels of self-development; and leadership of others in their development.
• The individual must be of good character and known for displaying good sportsmanship.

Official of the Year Criteria

• Must be qualified Australian Sailing Official as well as a member of a club in this state to be nominated for the state awards.
• The individual shall have demonstrated exceptional levels of self-development; and leadership of others in their development.
• The individual shall have a demonstrable record of contributing to the conduct of events or programs.
• The individual must be of good character and known for displaying good sportsmanship.

Volunteer of the Year Criteria

• Nominee must be a member of a club in this state to be nominated for the state awards.
• An individual, club or class association who has made a significant voluntary contribution to the sport of sailing.
• The individual must be of good character and known for displaying good sportsmanship.
• Nominees encouraged to detail their contribution.

Lifetime Achievement Award Criteria

• Nominee must be a member of a club in this state to be nominated for the state awards.
• Individual involved for at least 20 years in sailing.
• Outstanding contribution to sailing.
• Recipient can only receive the Award once.
• The individual must be of good character and known for displaying good sportsmanship.
• To be awarded only when there is a deserving individual nominated, not necessarily every year.

SheSails Award Criteria

• May be awarded to an individual, group, class or club.
• Nominee/s must be a member of a club in this state to be nominated for the state awards.
• Make an outstanding contribution to female participation in sailing during the nomination period: 1st August 2022 – 31st July 2023.
• The individual must be of good character.
• Awarded for achievements and contributions in the coordination, promotion and/or administration of female participation in the sport. Positions and roles held, activities undertaken and time contributed will be considered.
• The contribution may be in areas of, but not limited to, administration, coaching, leadership, planning, events, regattas, program development, participation, school sailing and member retention.
• All relevant personnel hold the appropriate Australian Sailing qualifications (i.e. coaches or instructors had Australian Sailing accreditation).

Sport Professional Award Criteria

• Nominee must be a member of a club in this state to be nominated for the state awards.
• Awarded to an individual who has positively contributed to sailing in areas including instructing, coaching, officiating, management and administration.

Sport Promotion Award Criteria

• Awarded to a Club, individual or organisation that has positively promoted sailing in the community during the nomination period: 1st August 2022 – 31st July 2023 involving one or more of the following responsibilities:
• Organised and promoted a significant local or national or international event(s);
• Enhanced public and/or commercial interest in sailing;
• Generated publicity for sailing via the print, electronic, radio or television media or by the application of photographic images;
• Generated interest in sailing by staging activities such as Discover Sailing Days, or specific learn to sail activities to increase participation.

Sustainability Award Criteria

The Sustainability Award recognises the effective execution or ongoing delivery of high-impact, highly replicable sustainability initiatives by individuals, teams, crews, classes, clubs or groups around the country, contributing to a more sustainable sailing industry.

Nominee must be a member of a club in this state to be nominated for the state awards.

You will be required to address the questions outlined in the criteria below:

1. Leadership and Vision

• How has the individual or organisation contributed to a more sustainable sailing industry or used sailing as a platform to promote sustainability?
• How has the individual taken a particularly innovative and visionary approach over the past 12 months?

2. Engagement

• How has the individual or organisation inspired and empowered sailors to take new sustainable actions and/or change behaviours?
• What skills and techniques have been used in engaging with key stakeholders to drive the vision forward?
• What kind of partnerships have been created to deliver the program?

3. Delivery and Future

• What results has the individual/organisation achieved through their work?
• What future plans does the individual or organisation have in place to continue to drive the sustainability agenda forward?

4. Raising industry standards and knowledge sharing

• How is the individual or organisation effectively engaging with others to drive engagement with the global sustainability agenda?
• What leadership skills has the individual displayed in encouraging and driving action outside of their organisation?
• Are the details of this entry available within the public domain?

Discover Sailing Centre of the Year Criteria

The judging panel will be looking at the following criteria;

1. Number of and type of Accredited programs
2. Number of participants put through these programs
3. Level of Compliance to DSC operating standards and guidelines
4. Conversion rates into further programs
5. Conversion of new participants into club membership
6. Description of club programs and how they map to the sailing pathway (i.e Green Fleet)
7. Demonstrated Growth of programs/number of participants from previous year
8. Demonstrated Training and pathways for instructors and officials
9. Demonstrated Succession planning
10. Marketing strategies

Nominee must be a current Discover Sailing Centre.

Inclusion Program of the Year Criteria

Nominations are sought from programs which have resulted in a positive contribution to sailing through inclusive engagement of disadvantaged groups to increase participation in sailing. Inclusion programs will be considered eligible if targeted at specific groups within the community which include (but not limited to); people with a disability, women and girls, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, LGBT+ and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Consideration will be given to programs that have resulted in some or all of the following:

1. Increased participation in sailing, especially among women and girls, people with a disability, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
2. Established supportive environments for volunteering and community involvement.
3. Being inclusive and inspiring a change in behaviours and attitudes towards disadvantaged groups through sailing.
4. Shown a desire to fully integrate disadvantaged groups into club sailing and/or membership

Performance Awards Criteria

(Female Sailor of the Year, Male Sailor of the Year, Team of the Year, Para Sailor of the Year,Youth Sailor of the Year and Motor Yacht Person of the Year (WA and VIC Only)).

• Nominee must be a member of a club in this state to be nominated for the state awards.
• The athlete(s) must have performed outstandingly in a sailing event(s) or other activity that commenced within the nomination period.
• Consideration will be given to an athlete, crew or team in any event.
• The athlete(s) must be of good character and known for displaying good sportsmanship.
• Athlete(s) nominating for Youth Sailor of the Year must be under 19 years of age during the year in which the event(s) included in the nomination took place.
• Athlete(s) nominating for Para Sailor of the Year must be classified, or eligible for classification, under the World Sailing Rules of Para Classification or the Virtus Athlete Eligibility Criteria or the Deaflympics Athlete Eligibility Criteria.
• Team of the Year will be awarded to the Skipper or crew who has/have excelled in one or more of the premier Sailing competitions in Australia and/or globally.

 

Performance Details

Please list details of outstanding performances in order of merit, including regatta name, how many entrants, your placing, regatta dates and a link to results for all achievements.

Please note: each individual result will be checked against your submission. Failure to include an accurate result or results link below will result in the result not being considered.

Coach of the Year

• Must be fully qualified and current Australian Sailing coach as well as a member of a club in this state to be nominated for the state awards.
• Quality of sporting performance(s) throughout the nomination period, considering the relative depth and level of competition.
• Demonstrated behaviours such as sportsmanship, fair play, respect and integrity.
• Contribution to broader coaching community (eg coach education and development, mentoring, knowledge sharing, embracing innovation and inspiring others).
• The individual shall have demonstrated exceptional levels of continuing self-development; and leadership of other people in their development.
• The individual must be of good character and known for displaying good sportsmanship.

Please list details of outstanding coaching results in order of merit, including how many entrants, the placing, regatta dates and a link to results for all achievements.

Instructor of the Year

• Must be a fully qualified and current Australian Sailing instructor (Dinghy, Powerboat, Keelboat, Windsurf, Safety & Sea Survival), working at an accredited Centre.
• The individual shall have demonstrated exceptional levels of self-development; and leadership of others in their development.
• The individual must be of good character and known for displaying good sportsmanship.

Official of the Year

• Must be an accredited Australian Sailing Official as well as a member of a club in the state they are being nominated in. 
• The individual shall have demonstrated exceptional levels of self-development; and leadership of others in their development.
• The individual shall have a demonstrable record of contributing to the conduct of events or programs.
• The individual must be of good character and known for displaying good sportsmanship.

Volunteer of the Year Criteria

• Nominee must be a member of a club in this state to be nominated for the state awards
• An individual, club or class association who has made a significant voluntary contribution to the sport of sailing
• The individual must be of good character and known for displaying good sportsmanship.
• Nominees encouraged to detail their contribution

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Nominee must be a member of a club in this state to be nominated for the state awards.
• Individual involved for at least 20 years in sailing.
• Outstanding contribution to sailing.
• Recipient can only receive the Award once.
• The individual must be of good character and known for displaying good sportsmanship.
• To be awarded only when there is a deserving individual nominated, not necessarily every year.

SheSails Award

• May be awarded to an individual, group, class or club.
• Make an outstanding contribution to female participation in sailing during the nomination period.
• Of good character.
• Awarded for achievements and contributions in the coordination, promotion and/or administration of female participation in the sport. Positions and roles held, activities undertaken and time contributed will be considered.
• The contribution may be in areas of, but not limited to, administration, coaching, leadership, planning, events, regattas, program development, participation, school sailing and retention.
• All relevant personnel hold the appropriate Australian Sailing qualifications (i.e. Coaches used in a coaching program are Australian Sailing qualified Sailing Coaches)

Sport Promotion Award

• Awarded to a Club, individual or organisation that has positively promoted sailing in the community during the nomination period involving one or more of the following responsibilities:
• Organised and promoted a significant local or national or international event(s);
• Enhanced public and/or commercial interest in sailing;
• Generated publicity for sailing via the print, electronic, radio or television media or by the application of photographic images
• Generated interest in sailing by staging activities such as Discover Sailing Days, or specific learn to sail activities to increase participation

Sport Professional Award

• Awarded to an individual who has positively contributed to sailing in areas including instructing, coaching, officiating, management and administration.

Sustainability Award

The Sustainability Award recognises the effective execution or ongoing delivery of high-impact, highly replicable sustainability initiatives by individuals, teams, crews, classes, clubs or groups around the country, contributing to a more sustainable sailing industry.

Please address the questions outlined in the criteria below:

Leadership & Vision

• How has the individual or organisation contributed to a more sustainable sailing industry or used sailing as a platform to promote sustainability?
• How has the individual taken a particularly innovative and visionary approach over the past 12 months?

Engagement

• How has the individual or organisation inspired and empowered sailors to take new sustainable actions and/or change behaviours?
• What skills and techniques have been used in engaging with key stakeholders to drive the vision forward?
• What kind of partnerships have been created to deliver the program?

Delivery and Future

• What results has the individual/organisation achieved through their work?
• What future plans does the individual or organisation have in place to continue to drive the sustainability agenda forward?

Raising industry standards and knowledge sharing

• How is the individual or organisation effectively engaging with others to drive engagement with the global sustainability agenda?
• What leadership skills has the individual displayed in encouraging and driving action outside of their organisation?
• Are the details of this entry available within the public domain?

Inclusion Program of the Year

Nominations are sought from programs which have resulted in a positive contribution to sailing through inclusive engagement of disadvantaged groups to increase participation in sailing. Inclusion programs will be considered eligible if targeted at specific groups within the community which include (but not limited to); people with a disability, women and girls, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Consideration will be given to programs that have resulted in some or all of the following:
1. Increased participation in sailing, especially among women and girls, people with a disability, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
2. Established supportive environments for volunteering and community involvement.
3. Being inclusive and inspiring a change in behaviours and attitudes towards disadvantaged groups through sailing.
4. Shown a desire to fully integrate disadvantaged groups into club sailing and/or membership

Discover Sailing Centre of the Year

The judging panel will be looking at the following criteria;
1. Number of and type of Accredited programs
2. Number of participants put through these programs
3. Level of Compliance to DSC operating standards and guidelines
4. Conversion rates into further programs
5. Conversion of new participants into club membership
6. Description of club programs and how they map to the sailing pathway (I.e Green Fleet)
7. Demonstrated Growth of programs/number of participants from last year
8. Demonstrated Training and pathways for instructors and officials
9. Demonstrated Succession planning
10. Marketing strategies

Nominee must be a current Discover Sailing Centre.

Please provide your participant numbers for 2019-20 in the spaces provided below