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Allan Sutherland wins the Otago Yachtsperson of the Year

Issue date

The Carey Trophy, presented by the late Steve Carey, is a sort after trophy on the Otago yachting scene and the caliber of the recipients is evident when reading the list of names on the trophy; amongst them including the likes of Neil Morris, Richard Hawkins, Jenny Armstrong, Russell Coutts, to name but a few.

This past season has seen Allan successfully win the Farr 6000 Nationals held on Otago Harbour in conjunction with the OYA Festival regatta.  This event was held in strong and testing conditions in which Allan demonstrated his high level of skill in this class and his ability to organise a successful 3 man crew that could handle the trying conditions and keep their yacht at the front of the fleet.

Allan is a very competitive sailor and he has demonstrated his tenacity on a number of occasions when he can sail to victory from a position in a race that would have severely tested many a good sailor.  But despite this fierce competitive nature Allan is still able to take out relatively novice sailors in club racing to introduce them into our sport.

Allan’s success this year at the Farr 6000 Nationals must also be weighed up against the other roles that he has combined into his yachting year to give not only a national champion to the region but a yachtie that gives back to the sport a huge commitment of his time and energy.  The Farr 6000 Nationals held this past season on Otago Harbour came about when Allan, along with Russell Phillips, stepped into the organising role when the Farr 6000 owners in Christchurch found that due to their own difficult earthquake situation were not able commit to the organising of the event as they would have wanted to.

During the season Allan has also held the position to Treasurer for the Port Chalmers Yacht Club and has been an instrumental member upon the PCYC’s committee and has been to the fore in the successful seeking of funding for a number of our projects including the successful launching of our new rescue boat the ‘Stewart Elder’.