At the New South Wales & ACT Sailing Awards hosted by Australian Sailing, the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) proudly came away with four prestigious awards – a true reflection of the strength, spirit, and dedication of our Club community.
We were finalists in seven categories and are delighted to announce the following wins:
🏆 Volunteer of the Year – Julia Hornsby & Ben Howell
🏆 Lifetime Achievement Award – Ian MacDiarmid & Ted Anderson
🏆 Club of the Year (Category A) – Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club
🏆 Youth Sailor of the Year – Louis Tilly
Volunteer of the Year – Julia Hornsby
We are especially proud to celebrate Julia Hornsby, Vice Commodore of RPAYC, who received the Volunteer of the Year Award alongside Ben Howell. Julia’s extraordinary leadership was instrumental as Chair of the Organising Committee for the International HANSA Class Association World and International Para Championships, hosted earlier this year. Her dedication ensured seamless collaboration between RPAYC and key stakeholders, delivering a landmark event that welcomed nearly 200 sailors from 18 nations.
Beyond this, Julia continues to give back tirelessly through her oversight of many programs at RPAYC, including the Alfred’s Community Sailing Program, which champions inclusivity and expands access to sailing for people of all abilities.
Lifetime Achievement Award – Ted Anderson
Congratulations to Ted Anderson, recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ted Anderson has been an active and passionate contributor to the sport of sailing for over 38 years. A longstanding member of both the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club and Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, Ted has made an indelible impact on offshore racing, youth development, race management, committee leadership, and community engagement.
Highly regarded as a volunteer Race Officer, Ted has lent his expertise to some of the sport’s most significant events, including the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, the 2019 Invictus Games, Sail Port Stephens, Hamilton Island Race Weeks, Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts, and the International Youth Match Racing Championships. His contributions have shaped the sport and inspired countless sailors across Australia and beyond.
Youth Sailor of the Year – Louis Tilly
We are thrilled to celebrate Louis Tilly, winner of the Youth Sailor of the Year Award.
Louis has showcased exceptional talent and dedication throughout the 2024–25 sailing season, consistently performing at the top of the WASZP class fleet in Australia. Among his many achievements, Louis secured 1st place at the Australian WASZP Championships in Hobart and 1st at the Australian WASZP Sprint Championship in Perth.
Adding to his remarkable record, Louis claimed victory for the third year in a row at the SailGP Inspire Series during the Sydney event. On the international stage, Louis placed 30th overall and 9th in the under-19 division at the International WASZP Games in Weymouth, UK, where he competed among more than 200 sailors.
His achievements highlight not only his skill and determination, but also the bright future of youth sailing at RPAYC.
Club of the Year – Category A
The highlight of the evening was RPAYC being named Club of the Year (Category A), recognising our commitment to growing sailing from grassroots to global success. Over the 2024–2025 season, RPAYC has driven participation through our Discover Sailing Centre, thriving Youth Development and off-the-beach programs, and SheSails pathways.
Our reputation as a premier sailing venue continues to grow, hosting major events including the Pittwater Regatta, Harken International Youth Match Racing Championship, Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Yacht Race, and numerous class championships. In March 2025, RPAYC proudly welcomed the world for the HANSA and Para Sailing World Championships, an event that epitomised inclusivity with sailors of all abilities competing as equals.
A Message from the Commodore
Reflecting on the awards, RPAYC Commodore Rob McClelland said:
“What a reflection this is of the strength and spirit of our Club – our members, our volunteers, our staff, and our wider community. To be recognised across so many areas in one year is a wonderful achievement. My heartfelt congratulations go to our entire Club. It is only by pulling together that we can achieve results like this – and tonight was a proud moment for us all.”
This is a fantastic achievement for RPAYC, and we now look ahead with pride and excitement to the Australian Sailing National Awards later this year.