AYF announces finalists in the 2001 BEA Australian Yachting awards.

by Jacqueline Ellis on 2 May 2001 The Australian Yachting Federation (AYF) has today announced the finalists for the 2001 BEA Australian Yachting Awards.

The finalists, who are spread across five states and territories of Australia, are:

BEA Male Sailor of the Year

§ MATHEW & DANIEL BELCHER (World Champions in the International 420 class) QLD

§ MICHAEL BLACKBURN (Bronze Medallist in the Laser class at the 2000 Olympic Games) NSW

§ DARREN BUNDOCK & JOHN FORBES (Silver Medallists in the Tornado catamaran class at the 2000 Olympic Games and World Champions in the Tornado class) NSW

§ JOHN CALVERT-JONES & THE CREW OF SOUTHERN STAR (World Champions in the Farr 40 One-Design class) VIC

§ TOM KING & MARK TURNBULL (Gold Medallists in the 470 class at the 2000 Olympic Games and World Champions in the 470 class) VIC

BEA Female Sailor of the Year

§ JENNY ARMSTRONG & BELINDA STOWELL (Gold Medallists in the 470 class at the 2000 Olympic Games and Silver Medallists at the 2000 Women's World Championship of the 470 class) NSW & WA

§ JESSICA CRISP (Australian Olympic Team member placing 5th in the Mistral One-Design class) NSW

§ MELANIE DENNISON (Australian Olympic Team member placing 11th in the Europe class) VIC

§ NICKY SOUTER (Australian Champion in the Flying 11 class - the first girl ever to win the overall title) NSW

§ KATIE SPITHILL / JENI WHALAN / EMMA BULLOUGH (Winners of a Grade 1 Women's Match Racing event and 7th placing at the ISAF Women's World Match Racing Championship) NSW

P&O Nedlloyd Disabled Sailor of the Year

§ JUDITH HARRIS (Third placing at the Victorian State Sailabilty Regatta and considerable volunteer & promotions work for disabled sailing) VIC

§ VINNY LAUWERS (The first disabled person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the globe) VIC

§ MICHAEL MCLEAN (Gold Medallist at the 2000 Paralympic Games as reserve for the Sonar class and 2nd place in the open 2.4mR Victorian State Championship) VIC

§ NOEL ROBINS / JAMIE DUNROSS / GRAHAM MARTIN (Gold Medallists at the 2000 Paralympic Games in the Sonar class) WA

§ PETER THOMPSON (Australian Paralympic Team member placing 4th in the 2.4mR class) ACT

P&O Nedlloyd Youth Sailor of the Year

§ BEN AUSTIN (Gold Medallist at the 2000 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in the Boys Single Handed Dinghy discipline sailing the Laser class) NSW

§ MATHEW BELCHER (Open World Champion in the International 420 class - skipper) QLD

§ MELISSA BRYANT & MARTHA LEONARD (Silver Medallists at the 2000 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in the Girls Doubled Handed Dinghy discipline sailing the 420 class) WA

§ GAVIN FEE & TOM BURGER (Bronze Medallists at the 2000 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in the Boys Double Handed Dinghy discipline sailing the 420 class) QLD

§ ALLISON SHREEVE (Silver Medallists at the 2000 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in the Girls Sailboard discipline sailing the Mistral One-Design class) NSW

Volvo Media Award & Services to Yachting Award

For the 2001 awards, the structure of the Volvo Media Award and the Services to Yachting Award was changed from previous years. The Board of the AYF felt that it was more appropriate to select a number of nominees as those 'deserving recognition' under the judging criteria rather than select just the one 'winner' in each of these categories. The number of nominees recognised may differ from year to year and it is at the Voting Academy's discretion how many awards they present.

It is pleasing to see in this, the International Year of the Volunteer, that 12 nominations were received for the Services to Yachting Award. 'This is the greatest number of nominations we have ever received in any award category for the Australian Yachting Awards.' explained Jacqueline Ellis, AYF Operations Manager 'Reading the citations for the nominees it makes you realise the level of commitment and the amazing amount of work the volunteers of our sport do.'

The Australian Yachting Awards Voting Academy consisted of yachting greats Glenn Bourke, Kerry Ireland, Gary Gietz, Nicky Bethwaite, Rob Brown, Vanessa Dudley and Jeni Lidgett.

The awardees and winners will be announced at a gala dinner on Friday 25th May 2001 at the Couran Cove Resort on Queensland's Gold Coast. Tickets to the dinner are available from the AYF on 02 9922 4333. Tickets are $110 per person or $990 for a table of 10

website www.yachting.org.au