Four Tasmanians are among the finalists for various categories of Yachting Australia’s Sailor of the Year Awards to be announced in Sydney next Friday, 6 November.
Australian 2.4mR champion sailor Matt Bugg is among the finalists in the Sailor of the Year with Disability category. Matt is a member of the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania and the Derwent Sailing Squadron.
Bugg, who is expected to again represent Australia at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, was named Tasmanian Male Sailor of the Year earlier this year.
Current world champions in the International Cadet class, Sam Abel and Hugo Allison are among five finalists for the Youth Sailor of the Year Award.
The national team coach of the teenage sailors from Sandy Bay Sailing Club, Geelong-based Tony Bull, is a finalist in the Coach of the Year category.
Michael Denney, sailing manager of the Derwent Sailing Squadron, is one of three finalists for the Sports Professional Award. He received a similar presentation at this year’s Yachting Tasmania awards.
There are five finalists for the Male Sailor of the Year, including Matthew Belcher and Will Ryan who last week won their third consecutive world championship in the Olympic 470 class. The Female Sailor of the Year has four finalists.
Peter Campbell
28 October 2015