Champion young Hobart keelboat helmsman Sam Tiedemann last evening was named 2018-19 Tasmanian Male Sailor of the Year, culminating a remarkable season of yacht racing.
Sam’s award headed a long list of Tasmanians recognised by Australian Sailing – Tasmania for their outstanding contributions to the sport as senior and youth competitors, coaches, race officials, volunteers and professional administrators announced at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania.
Steering his father’s Shaun Tiedemann’s Sydney 36cr, Philosopher, Sam won the Maria, Launceston to Hobart and Bruny Island offshore races and the Combined Clubs IRC pointscore last summer.
Philosopher also won IRC Division 3 of the Australian Yachting Championships on Port Phillip in January and Sam was a member of the winning crew in the SB20 Australian championship.
Sam was unable to attend last night’s function, his award being accepted by fellow Derwent Sailing Squadron member Scott Brain.
The Tasmanian Female Sailor of the Year is Dr Jessie Andrewartha, a member of Wynyard Yacht Club and the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, who earlier this year finished first female skipper in the World championship for the International Mirror class.
Youth Sailor of the Year award was decided between five finalists, Eddie Reid, Hugo Allison, Nicholas Jones, Nick Smart and Will Sargent.
Sargent, named as the winner, has a range of national and international racing successes over the past year, ranging from winning the Australian Schools Match Racing Championships, to the Tasmanian Laser Championship and the Laser bronze medal at the recent Pacific Games.
Offshore Sailor of the Year is Phillip Turner, owner of Alive, the overall winner of the 2018 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and more recently, a number of major events on the USA California coast.
Wynyard Yacht Club, based in the Inglis River on Tasmania’s North-West Coast, and its members dominated the Tasmanian Sailing Awards.
In addition to Jessie Andrewartha’s award, Chris Symonds was named Sailor of the Year with Disability, Mike Darby Coach of the Year and the WYC as Club of the Year.
To culminate the list, a Lifetime Achievement Award was announced to 100-year-old Wynyard Yacht Club member Richard Lewis who has been an active member since 1965….and still goes sailing.
Other Tasmanian Sailing award winners announced this evening were: Ian Ross, Derwent Sailing Squadron (Official of the Year), Scott Ragg, Kingston Beach Sailing Club (Volunteer of the Year), Sophie Ciszek, Ocean Respect Racing (Sustainability Award), Gregory Rowsell, Port Dalrymple Yacht Club (Instructor of the Year), Darren Flanagan, Lauderdale Yacht Club (Sport Promotion), Oliver Burnell, Sandy Bay Sailing Club (Sport Professional), Alison Viner, Port Cygnet Sailing Club (SheSails Award)
Words and photos: Peter Campbell
4 August 2019
