ORCV Annual Awards Evening 2025

Celebrating those who sail. Honouring those who make it possible. ORCV Annual Awards Evening 2025

What an incredible evening! The 2025 ORCV Annual Awards Night brought together sailors, volunteers, and supporters for a night filled with laughter, warmth, and unforgettable memories. From heartfelt speeches to well-deserved accolades, the energy in the room was electric — a true reflection of the community spirit that makes offshore sailing so special.

In fact, the toughest task of the night might’ve been getting everyone to move on to the bar — a sure sign of the rich conversations and deep connections shared throughout the evening. That sense of camaraderie is what sailing is all about, and you brought it in spades.

We were honoured to welcome guest speaker Elizabeth Tucker, whose journey from keen sailor to accomplished ocean racer left us inspired and proud. Elizabeth’s story is one of courage, resilience, and determination — and we can’t wait to see what’s next on her horizon.

A special thank you also to Dave Kenny for taking us back to the legendary Melbourne to Osaka yacht race. His moving reflection reminded us of the endurance, grit, and passion that define long-distance offshore racing — and of the powerful legacy that race continues to hold in our community.

This year’s award recipients truly represent the best of our club:

🏆 Youth Sailor of the Year – Will Farnell

🏆 Crew Encouragement Award – Courtney Mead

🏆 Ocean Racer of the Year – Cameron McKenzie

🏆 Volunteer of the Year – Neville Rose

🏆 Community Service Award – Rob and Sue Tanner, Steve Twentyman, Neville Rose, Delma and Grant Dunoon, Adam Manders, and Paul Pascoe

Each of these individuals and teams have gone above and beyond — on deck, behind the scenes, and within our sailing community.

You can relive the evening now — event photos are live on our Facebook page.

We were also treated to a special surprise — a heartfelt video message from Pip Hare, thanking the ORCV community for helping her get back to the UK after her visit to Melbourne. You can watch it here:

 Like, tag, and share with your crew! If you snapped your own favourite moments, we’d love to see those too — send them our way or tag us online.

To everyone who joined us: thank you. You made the night joyful, warm, and full of heart. Here’s to more races, more stories, and more nights like this one.

Photo credits to Shaun McKenna of Media Strategy