2009 Australian Yachting Awards nominations now open

2:48 AM Fri 3 Jul 2009 GMT

Nominations are now open for the 2009 Australian Yachting Awards, recognising outstanding achievement in the sport over the period of March 2008 through to July 2009.

In 2009 the Australian Yachting Awards will be held in Melbourne with the gala event scheduled for Friday October 16 at the new Sandringham Yacht Club facilities.

Nominations can be made by anyone within the sailing community with nomination forms and criteria available from the Yachting Australia website.

The 2009 Yachting Awards will acknowledge the follow categories with finalists to be honoured at the 16 October Dinner in Melbourne:

- Male Sailor of the Year
- Female Sailor of the Year
- Sailor of the Year with a Disability
- Youth Sailor of the Year
- Sport Promotion Award
- Lifetime Achievement Award
- Sport Professional Award
- Volunteer Award

Yachting Australia President Andrew Plympton says that the Yachting Awards provide the ideal opportunity to officially recognise those who contribute so much to, and achieve so much in, sailing.

'The Australian Yachting Awards allow us as a sporting community to take time out to recognise and celebrate those that help to make sailing such an outstanding sport in this country,' said Plympton.

'From our top-level athletes to our tireless volunteers sailing relies heavily on the contribution of everyday Australians so I encourage anybody who feels they know of an individual who should be considered for an award to make a nomination,' he said.

Plympton will also present the President's Award which is not voted on and recognises outstanding support of Australian sailing.

Tickets will go on sale in early August, with further information about sales and details about the evening to be available in the coming weeks.

www.yachting.org.au

by Craig Heydon