A Highlight of the Racing Season
The Nepean Sailing Club racing community celebrated the 2024 Awards Night at the Club on November 16 with a full room, marking a highlight event in the club’s racing season. The event sold out resulting in a lot of positive energy in the room and many enthusiastic members eager to celebrate the achievements of the past year.
Emceed by the ever-charismatic Matt Davidge, who has graciously taken on this role for more years than he probably cares to count, Matt was joined this year by Leo Evans. The two ensured that everyone remained engaged and entertained. Adding a special touch to the festivities was Commodore Corey Glynn, who made an appearance to present the coveted Commodore’s Cup. Membership Director Erin O’Connor announced the NSC Annual Volunteer Achievement Award (NAVAA).
Evening Highlights
Racer Engagement
Although dinner sold out completely, members were encouraged to join in after the meal which resulted in a large crowd for the presentations as they kicked off at 7:45 pm. The evening featured a number of activities including racing trivia hosted by Stephen Grant and a paper boat-building competition championed by Chris Giles of Railmeat Apparel. Both showcased just how competitive sailors can be, turning what should have been a light-hearted activity into an intense showdown!
Awards Presentation
The festivities commenced with an awards presentation recognizing top performers in the weekday racing fleets and the special weekend events. This year’s awards celebrated fleet accomplishments, highlighting the upcoming talent and the dedication of many long-serving NSC members. A special treat this year was the enthusiasm of many boats and/or fleets choosing to celebrate their team spirit in many forms including matching apparel, team hats, or accessories. Following the awards presentation, many gathered at the photobooth created by MainBrace Studio to capture team photos.
Thank You, Dominic
A heartfelt thank you goes to Fleet Captain Dominic Goodwill for his patience and willingness to support some new energy—perhaps he’s relieved that his term is coming to an end! This marks Dominic’s last term as Fleet Captain, and while we will miss his steady leadership, we look forward to welcoming him onto other committees where his input will continue to be valuable. Special thanks are also due to the staff and leadership whose hard work contributed to making this event a tremendous success.
Special Awards Winners
Dumper’s Plaque: Awarded to the FANFARE mark set crew for setting a race mark in the forest at Britannia Beach, demonstrating “the most original boat equipment handling of the year.”
Boole Trophy: Given to Patricia Wallinger, skipper of Tanzer 22 Harmony, for outstanding sportsmanship and tenacity as a first-year keelboat racer.
Commodore’s Cup: Awarded to the Moss-Lovshin family (John Moss, Shona Moss Lovshin, Kyber Lovshin, and Evania Lovshin) for their significant contributions to competitive sailing at NSC, including youth sailing achievements and fleet-building efforts.
NAVAA: Our winner this year, Tim Moses, was recognized for his outstanding work in creating and managing the Social Day-Cruising Program. In 2024, this program served 78 sailors utilizing 16 boats. The program celebrated its third season with a festive party and is already planning for 2025.
Full List of Trophy Winners
For those eager to see who else took home trophies, please refer to the List of Keeper Winners and List of Trophy Winners, or check out our Trophy Gallery, which has been updated with the 2024 winners.
Submitted by Renée Young