The Billy Can Award

The Billy Can Trophy was established in 2000, and is awarded as follows:

  • In years of Australian Tall Ship races (excluding Sydney Harbour Races) to be awarded to the vessel with the best corrected time for a 48 hour run.
  • In years that there is not a Tall Ship event the trophy would be awarded to a Sail Training vessel or Organisation for an outstanding achievement in the youth development sail training arena.

The silver trophy is currently held on our behalf by the Australian Heritage Fleet and is on display at Wharf 7, Darling Harbour, Sydney.

A replica trophy has been made. This replica will be held by the Awardee for twelve months following the award, after which it will be passed on to the next Awardee.

Previous Winners

2001 Rainbow Gypsy
2002 STS Leeuwin II
2003 Spirit of Adventure Trust New Zealand
2004 RADM Rothesay Swan AO CBE RAN (rtd)
(Past President Tall Ships Australia and New Zealand)
2005 STV One & All
2006 Young Endeavour Youth Scheme
2007 Enterprize Ship Trust
2008 Queensland Sail Training Association
2009 STS Young Endeavour
2010 STV One & All
2013 Windeward Bound
2014 Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation
2015 Young Endeavour Youth Scheme
2017 South Passage
2019 HMB Endeavour (Australian National Maritime Museum)
2021 Rhona H (Heritage Sailing Tasmania)

Nominations for the Billy Can Award are accepted prior to the Annual General Meeting. Please contact mail@tallships.org.au for the nomination form.

The decision of the Committee will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Tall Ships Australia and New Zealand Medallions

Medallions are awarded by member Operators to young people who have shown outstanding personal achievement while undertaking a voyage, or to individuals who have shown outstanding personal achievement in support of the organisation’s vessel.

Nominations for Medallions are accepted prior to the Annual General Meeting, or as required during the year. Please contact mail@tallships.org.au for the nomination form.

Previous Winners

Congratulations to the following recipients of 2016 Medallions:

  • Lucy Hosking (Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation)
  • Nathan Denmark (Spirit of New Zealand)

Congratulations to the following recipients of 2015 Medallions:

  • Jessica Busiko (Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation)
  • Sam Griffiths (South Passage)
  • Soraya Haynes (Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation)
  • Michael Randall (Rhona H)
  • Mikaela Sparre (Young Endeavour Youth Scheme)
  • Louise Wilson (Lady Nelson)
  • Jen Banks (Lady Nelson)

Sail Training International Awards

At the International Sail Training and Tall Ships Conference 2016, held in Halmstad, the annual awards for significant sail training achievement were presented to a diverse and international group of people, vessels and ports – who have all made the sail training world a better place.

Congratulations to all recipients, especially our own Rachel Norrie and Tony Cummings!

Sail Trainer of the Year (Volunteer under 25)

Rachel Norrie (Australia)

Awarded to a sail training volunteer under 26 to encourage high-performing individuals who deliver sail training to young people.

Rachel joined Leeuwin II as a volunteer two years ago, training and earning her first rating as Bosun’s Mate and putting her studies on hold to pursue a career in the maritime industry. A multi-skilled, dedicated and well-liked volunteer, Rachel received a scholarship from the Western Australian Department for Training and Workforce Development as part of a programme to support women in non-traditional industries, and in 2016 was chosen to join the Woodside Leeuwin Marine Career Pathway Programme, enabling her to complete her Masters and her MED2 qualifications.

Sail Trainer of the Year (Volunteer over 25)

Tony Cummings (New Zealand)

Awarded to a sail training volunteer to encourage high-performing individuals who deliver sail training to young people.

Tony is a volunteer watch assistant, relief mate and port contact with Spirit of New Zealand. He joined her in the early 1990s for a weekend, and his enthusiasm has never flagged. Whenever the Trust’s two ships were in his home of Dunedin, Tony was there, often with his wife, providing meals, assisting departing and incoming trainees, arranging transport, helping with publicity, maintenance, and joining the crew for day sails. His voyage record is unequalled by any volunteer in the Spirit of Adventure Trust’s 43-year history.

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