Yachting WA’s Meet The Champions Awards

by Jenny Honeybun on 29 May 2007 The suspense and ceremony of Yachting Western Australia’s night of nights, 'Meet The Champions Awards' was enjoyed by 250 special guests at East Fremantle Yacht Club on Thursday the 24th May.

The champions of the boating fraternity of Western Australia were recognized and the Ron Tough Yachting Foundation generously awarded a scholarship and 29 grants to the value of $47 000, the highest amount ever awarded.

Category award winners were:
Administrator of the Year – Sue Olsen (Fremantle Sailing Club)
Coach of the Year – Luc Tasker (Christ Church Grammar School)
Official of the Year – Robin Olsen (Fremantle Sailing Club)
Power Yachts Person of the Year – Colin Wilson & Neville Foster (South of Perth Yacht Club)
Sailor of the Year with a Disability – Kylie Forth (Sailability)
Male Sailor of the Year – Tim Castles (Fremantle Sailing Club)
Female Sailor of the Year - Belinda Kerl & Chelsea Hall (Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club)
Sailor of the Year - Belinda Kerl & Chelsea Hall (Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club)

BRONZE MEDAL - JUNIOR SAILOR OF THE YEAR- Kieran Rogers

Kieran is a member of Geographe Bay Yacht Club’s junior training programme, which commenced in 1997. In January this year he became the programmes first ever State Title holder, blitzing the field at the State Pelican Championships sailed in Esperance with 4 firsts, 2 seconds and 2 thirds.

His sportsmanship is demonstrated by a willingness to assist his peers, his modesty in victory and his good nature in defeat.

SILVER MEDAL - YOUTH SAILOR OF THE YEAR - Luke Parkinson

Luke has had an outstanding year in his first season of sailing in the 29er class. He competed in his first 29er Nationals in December 2006 finishing 1st Youth and 6th overall out of a fleet of 53 boats. Six days later he and his crew won the OAMPS Australian Youth Championships in Tasmania earning the right to represent Australian at the World Youth Championships in Canada in July.

Luke has represented WA in four National Team Racing Championships in Australia and New Zealand. The pinnacle of Luke’s Team Racing year was winning a Silver Medal while being Team Captain at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney earlier this year.

GOLD MEDAL - OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO YACHTING - Belinda Kerl & Chelsea Hall

Belinda Kerl and Chelsea Hall initially teamed together for the 2005 Junior Exchange Sailing Scholarship (JESS) tour of the European circuit, have since climbed the ladder to success as West Australian and Australian champions.

They are a professional, committed and dedicated team as is evident in their first placing at the ISAF World Youth Sailing Games as the 420 Youth Female World Champions and in the Under 16, 420 Worlds. They also won the 29er Australian Championship - Female and the 2006 International 420 Class Western Australian Championship - Female.

Belinda, a contentious student is putting sailing commitments secondary to concentrate on her TEE studies this year whilst Chelsea continues to crew in the 420/470s class.

http://www.wa.yachting.org.au/