2025 - 2026 Annual General Meeting
Last night saw the 2025-26 Annual General Meeting held. The meeting not only honoured our 50- and 60-year members on their milestone of continuous club membership but also saw two great honours bestowed: Life membership to Edwin (Ted) Anderson, the 52nd Commodore of RPAYC and the 1st female Commodore, Julia Hornsby.
Commodore - Julia Hornsby
Julia Hornsby elected as RPAYC’s first female Commodore
Long-serving Club leader, sailor and volunteer becomes the first female elected to the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club’s highest office.
The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) members have elected Julia Hornsby as its next Commodore, making her the first female to hold the office in the Club’s history. Officially taking the honour at the close of the Annual General Meeting on Thursday 23 July 2026.
An active RPAYC member for more than two decades, Hornsby has served as Vice Commodore from 2023 to 2026, Director, Rear Commodore Activities from 2018 to 2021 and Chair of the Alfred’s Community Sailing Program. She brings deep experience in governance, sailing, volunteer leadership and community engagement.
“I am incredibly honoured to be elected as the first female Commodore of the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club,” Hornsby said. “I look forward to working alongside our talented members and staff to continue the Club’s tradition of brilliance, embrace the opportunities ahead and help lead RPAYC towards its 160th anniversary in October 2027.”
Hornsby’s election follows sustained service across the Club, including the Heritage, Maintenance and Development, and Race Management, and leadership of Alfred’s Community Sailing, which introduces people from the wider community to the sport.
As Chair of the Organising Authority for the 2025 International Hansa Class Association World and Para World Championships, Hornsby led RPAYC and its partner organisations in delivering an inclusive championship for more than 200 sailors from 18 countries.
Her contribution was recognised in 2025 when she was named Australian Sailing’s national and NSW/ACT Volunteer of the Year and RPAYC Volunteer of the Year. She has also received a NSW Parliamentary Community Recognition Statement, a Northern Beaches Community Service Award and RPAYC Clubman of the Year (2016-17).
An active sailor across the Club’s weekday, twilight, inshore, estuary and feature racing events, Hornsby also brings senior professional experience in clinical immunology, molecular diagnostics and regulatory affairs, together with formal director and sailing qualifications.
Peter Farrugia was voted in as Vice Commodore. The Board will appoint a Rear Commodore of Yacht Race (1-year term).
Mark Dorling was congratulated on his championing of Centreboard, with Jervis Tilly elected as the new Rear Commodore of Centreboard.
Verity Powers was re-elected as Rear Commodore Activities, with Greg Dunston elected on the night to continue as the Rear Commodore of Cruising.
Peter Farrugia
Vice Commodore
Jervis Tilly
Rear Commodore – Centreboard
Verity Powers
Rear Commodore – Activities
Phillip Burgess
Rear Commodore – Membership
Greg Dunston
Rear Commodore – Cruising
To be appointed by the Board for a 1yr term
Rear Commodore Yacht Race
Commodore Robert McClelland reported on the Club’s achievements over the last 12 months and was proud to award Ted Anderson with his Life membership, 50- and 60-year members’ awards and two awards solely at the discretion of the Commodore. The Commodore’s Medal, which Robert commissioned in 2025.
This year, the Commodore’s Medal was awarded to both Chris Way and Michael Ritchie for representing RPAYC at the New York Yacht Club Invitational Regatta. The team, consisting mostly of youth sailors from the RPAYC Youth Development program, trained for over 9 months on Revolver, competing in both the lead-up Regatta before the main event and competing against the best Corinthian sailors in the world.
A Year of Achievements
Key highlights:
Australian Sailing Awards 2025:
– Club of the Year NSW/ACT – winners
– National Club of the Year – Runner-up
Volunteer of the Year, NSW & National
– JULIA HORNSBY
Lifetime Recognition Award, NSW & National
– TED ANDERSON
NSW Youth Sailor of the Year, NSW
– LOUIS TILLY
America’s Cup Hall of Fame
– JAMES SPITHILL
Life Member
Edwin (Ted) Anderson
Ted was elected as a Life Member of the club by fellow voting members.
“This is a great honour and unexpected to be elected as a Life Member of RPAYC”.
60 Years of Membership
James Wiseman
John Quinn
John Morris
50 Years of Membership
Pru Bennett
John Berry
Shaw Russett
Kevin Dunn
David West
Cedric Williams
John Wenden
Commodore's Medal
Team Revolver – New York Yacht Club Invitational
Clubmanship Award
Congratulations to Greg Dunstan, Rear Commodore Cruising. Awarded by the Commodore for his invigoration of the Cruising Community at RPAYC and shared participation within the sailing program.
Bruce Richie Perpetual Trophy unveiled
Bruce Ritchie, well known for his racing, boat designs and boat-building skills for over 70 years, presented the RPAYC with a magnificent bronze sculpture of a scale model of Revolver.
Bruce may have retired from sailing, but he continues to put his skills to great use. The Trophy will be dedicated for a future event by the Rear Commodore Yacht Race.
