Queensland Yachting Awards - Olympic champion headlines award winners

by Tracey Johnstone on 19 Sep 2015 Olympic 470 class gold medallist Matt Belcher and crew Will Ryan headline the list of winners in this year’s 20th annual Queensland Yachting Awards which recognises the exceptional achievements of Queensland sailors during the 2014/15 year.

Belcher and Ryan won the Male Sailor of the Year. They are partners in the 470 class, working towards Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The pair have achieved success in all the events that they have contested including winning the ISAF Santander World Championship.

Laid low by the flu and with only a few days left before they fly to Israel for the 2015 470 class World Championship, Belcher spoke by phone on his team’s award. “It’s pretty special to win this award. I learnt to sail here and to be recognised by your home State is a pretty good feeling.”

Winner of the Female Sailor of the Year is Stacey Jackson from Mooloolaba. Jackson is a role model for women in sailing. She was a member of the all-women Team SCA in the 2014/15 Volvo Ocean Race, competed in nine Sydney Hobart races, in TP52 and Mumm 30 regattas, the 2015 Fastnet Race, in five Women’s World Match Racing Championships and recently volunteered for the YQ Women’s Committee.

“This is a lovely honour to receive.

“This was a dream many years ago. It’s nice to know there are a lot of people who do support your dreams.

“The biggest message I can send to anyone coming through sailing at any age is follow what you want to do. With some hard work, or a lot, you can achieve it,” Jackson said.

The winner of the Solo Trophy for Outstanding Services to Sailing is Paul Blundell from Noosa. He is recognised for his exceptional contribution to sailing and to his club. He started as a volunteer at Noosa Yacht and Rowing Club with its Youthsail and soon became its sailing manager. He is leader in the area of sailing program development and delivery.

The Barrenjoey Trophy for Youth Sailor of the Year went to Brisbane’s Daniel Self. He campaigns a Laser and achieved good results including winning the QLD titles. Self is the youth representative on the Yachting Queensland Board.

“I am amazed to win this against a handful of incredibly talented youth sailors from this great State.

“I want to thank Yachting Queensland, my coaches Brady Lowe from the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron and Ken Hurling who has supported me throughout my Laser journey, and my biggest sponsor, my parents,” Self said.

The winner of the Simba Trophy for Junior Sailor of the Year for the second year running is Kristen Wadley from Tinaroo. She has attended three O’pen Bic World Championships and recently won the Under-16 women’s trophy, despite being the youngest in the age group.

“I want to thank my dad who is my main supporter and coaches me all the time, and mum for being our personal travel agent,” Wadley said.

Winner of the Wistari Trophy for Offshore Sailor of the Year is Mark Vickers from Townsville. He was nominated by the Townsville Cruising Yacht Club for four of the awards this year signifying the great respect in which he is held by his fellow club members. Vickers is a dedicated offshore sailor and competed in many iconic races and regattas. He is a very active committee member of his club and a dedicated race official.

A delighted Vickers accepted his award noting; “We are all here for sailing which is a good thing. Thank you to everybody for this award.”

The Instructor of the Year is Ashley Stephens. Stephens is a senior dinghy and power instructor who has continues to provide excellent instructor services at Darling Point Sailing Squadron. He also contributed to the review of the dinghy program and acts as mentor to many of the state’s sailing instructors.

The Coach of the Year is Townsville’s Danny Fuller. This is a fitting award for a dedicated coach whose students admire him for his passion, skill and knowledge. He provides many of the north Queensland coaching camps and is responsible for the north Queensland development program.

Official of the Year winner is Alan Carlisle OAM. He volunteers many, many hours as a race officer, umpire, judge and on protest committees. “Queensland now has arguably more officials than any other state. We are the envy of other states. We are the yardstick which other states work to,” Carlisle said.

The Club of Year is Noosa Yacht & Rowing Club. The club’s Youthsail program supports 200 school students weekly. It was the first sailing club to deliver the federal government’s Active After-School Communities program. NYRC has a disabled sailing program catering for up to 50 youth and adults. It is the second club in Australia and the only club in Queensland to run the Buoyed Up which is for indigenous children. It also initiated a youth sail traineeship program to provide a Certificate III in Sport and Recreation coaching for students between years 10 to 12.

NYRC’s Sailing Manager Paul Blundell received the award. “We have a very supportive management and sailing committee, a group of volunteers and 40 junior staff of which the oldest is about 22 or 23. Over the years we have received enormous support from Yachting Queensland and Ken (Hurling) and his Board. I want to thank you for that support over the years,” Blundell said.