Ocean Racer of the Year

Ocean Racer of the Year

The Ocean Racer of the Year awards were introduced in 1985 to recognise the outstanding achievements of yachtsmen and yachtswomen Australia wide. The Ocean Racer Awards are held annually in conjunction with the CYCA Blue Water Pointscore Prize Giving and recognize the winning recipient’s achievements during the preceding calendar year.

The categories awarded are:
• Ocean Racer of the Year
• Sally Gordon Memorial Trophy for the Ocean Crew Person of the Year
• Ocean Racing Veteran of the Year
• Ocean Racing Rookie of the Year
• Ocean Racing Navigator of the Year
• Double Handed Ocean Racer of the Year
• Female Ocean Racer of the Year
• Youth Ocean Racer of the Year

2024/5 Ocean Racer of the Year
  • Sebastian Bohm (Smuggler)

2024/5 Ocean Racing Crew Person of the Year

  • Michael Bencsik (Cinquante)

2024/5 Ocean Racing Veteran of the Year

  • Geoff Hill (Antipodes)

2024/5 Ocean Racing Rookie of the Year

  • Chris Taylor (Le Tiroflan)

2024/5 Ocean Racing Navigator of the Year
  • David van der Wende (Smuggler)

2024/5 Double Handed Ocean Racer of the Year
  • Rupert Henry (Mistral)

2024/5 Female Ocean Racer of the Year
  • Jiang Lim (Min River)

2024/5 Youth Ocean Racer of the Year
  • Garth Bickford
Multiple Winners
Ocean Racer of the Year
  • Syd Fischer (NSW) - 1993, 1996, 2002, 2008
  • Matt Allen (NSW) - 2004, 2005, 2018 (joint), 2021
  • Bob Steel (NSW) - 1998, 2003, 2009 (joint)
  • Roger Hickman (NSW) - 1997, 2014)
  • Ed Psaltis - 1999 (joint), 2007 (joint)
  • Bob Thomas - 1999 (joint), 2007 (joint)
  • Stephen Ainsworth - 2011 (joint), 2013
  • Matt Allen - 2018 (joint), 2019 and 2021
Ocean Crew Person of the Year
  • Tony Ellis (NSW) - 2002, 2007
  • Shane Kearns - 2016, 2017
Ocean Veteran of the Year
  • John Walker (NSW) - 1994, 2003, 2004, 2008
  • Lou Abrahams (Vic) - 1996, 2002, 2006
  • Syd Fischer (NSW) - 2007, 2012, 2013
  • Shane Kearns (NSW) - 2016, 2017
  • John Bennetto (Tas) - 1992, 2001
Ocean Navigator of the Year
  • Michael Bellingham (NSW) - 2011, 2013, 2017
  • Will Oxley - 2010, 2018, 2021
  • Phil Eadie - 2008, 2012
  • Andrea Green - 2020, 2022
Double Handed Ocean Racer of the Year
  • Rupert Henry - 2022, 2024/5

 

A list of all the award winners since 1985 may be found here.