Headed by Paralympic sailor Matt Bugg, several Derwent Sailing Squadron members have been recognised by Yachting Tasmania in its 2015 awards.
Matt Bugg, a member of the Australian Sailing Team, was named Male Sailor of the Year at a presentation last Sunday at the Derwent Sailing Squadron.
DSS Sailing Manager Michael Denney awarded Professional Administrator of the Year. Photo by Dane Lojek
DSS sailing manager Michael Denney has also been named Professional Administrator of the Year while ocean racing yachtsmen, Phil Turner and Duncan Hine, were jointly awarded the Bennetto Medal for their offshore racing successes with the Turner’s Reichel/Pugh 66 Alive.
Another member, Julian Freeman, was inducted into the Tasmanian Yachting Hall of Fame, noting his remarkable success in ocean racing.
Matt Bugg is currently on course to again represent Australia at the Paralympics in Rio next year, sailing in the single-handed International 2.4mR class. He competed at the London 2012 Paralympics, finishing seventh overall.
His father, Ron Bugg, President of Yachting Tasmania and Commodore of the Derwent Sailing Squadron, proudly presented the Male Sailor of the Year award to his son.
Matt has had an outstanding year, including wins at Sail Melbourne, the Australian National Championship and a second and a third respectively at the ISAF (International Sailing Federation) Worlds Cup rounds at Hyeres, France, and Medemblik, The Netherlands. He is currently ranked fourth in the world in the 2.4mR class.
The winners of this year’s Bennetto Medal have had a stellar year after Phil Turner bought the boat in 2014. With Hine as skipper, highlights have been setting a race record and winning IRC in the Melbourne to Vanuatu race, taking out the handicap trifecta (IRC, ORCi and PHRF) in the 2014 Brisbane to Gladstone race, as well as division wins or second places at Hamilton Island Race Week.
Alive followed up a sixth in line honours and sixth in IRC Division 0 of the 70th Sydney Hobart by taking line honours in the 2015 King of the Derwent. Unfortunately, Alive last week had to retire from another long race, the Sail Noumea Race from Brisbane to New Caledonia, due to hydraulics problems.
The Professional Administrator Award winner for 2015, DSS sailing manager Michael Denney, has worked tirelessly to ensure that the Squadron runs sailing programs of the highest standard.
Notable events this past season have included the annual Launceston to Hobart Race and the King of the Derwent along with the SB20 State and National championships and the Hansa class nationals. Michael is also closely involved in the Combined Clubs working committee that coordinates keelboat racing between the three biggest clubs on the Derwent.
The sailing resume of Derwent Sailing Squadron member Julian Freeman reads like a who’s who of international offshore racing that began in Sabots with the DSS and then winning a national title in International Cadets in Geelong.
As a young man, Julian sailed in America’s Cup trials in Australia at Newport, Rhode Island, and also raced aboard famous maxi yachts Kialoa, Windward Passage, Condor, Ondine and Tasmania. A highlight of his career was three years sailing with Americans Jim Kilroy and Dennis Conner on Kialoa.
Julian has sailed in 27 Sydney Hobarts, being first to finish twice, on Condor and Tasmania, and aboard the handicap winners Yendys and Secret Mens Business. In 1993 he was named Australian Yachting Crewman of the Year, recognising his sailing talent and achievements.
Yachting Tasmania annual award winners and inductees into the Yachting Hall of Fame. Photo Dane Lojek.
Female Sailor of the Year is Amelia Catt, currently competing in Europe in the 470 women’s championship while the Outstanding Youth Achievement Award was presented to 17-year-old Jock Calvert who is expected to again represent Australia at the 2015 ISAF Youth Worlds.
Wynyard Yacht Club and two of its members were recognised at the Yachting Tasmania awards, with the club being named Club of the Year, Mike Darby a Volunteer of the Year and Chris Symonds being inducted into the Tasmanian Yachting Hall of Fame as well as being named Disabled Sailor of the Year.
Two other recipients of the Volunteer of the Year Award were Tom Bain from the Tamar Yacht Club and Michael Vincent of the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania Off the Beach division. Greg Rowlings was named Yachting Personality of the Year.
Other well-known yachtsman inducted into the Yachting Tasmania Hall of Fame were David Rees, Nick Connor, Stephen Boyes, Andrew Hunn, all members of the RYCT.
Peter Campbell
30 June 2015
