News
2010 Sydney Schoolgirls’ Get Active Breakfast Allison Shreeve honoured - Australian Female Sailor of the Year 2006Wednesday, 12 Jul, 2006At a glittering Royal Gala Dinner held in Sydney last night, Allison Shreeve, the current Formula Windsurfing World Champion, who is ranked No.1 in the world, was awarded the Australian Female Sailor of the Year 2006. The prestigious judging panel considered Allison’s achievements over the past year and rewarded her for the very impressive results which included winning every Formula windsurfing regatta on the international circuit, the European and World Championships, and for breaking the ‘A’ Class World Speed Record. Her Royal Highness - The Princess Royal, in her capacity as Patron of the Gipsy Moth Global Project, was special guest of honour at the annual awards event, along with the Governor of NSW, Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir, Sir Nicholas Shehadie, and Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (Senator for NSW), who shared the duty of announcing and presenting the awards. In a video presentation, Allison was able to thank those who have contributed to her successful career thus far, including Yachting Australia, the Australian and NSW Institutes of Sport, her equipment sponsors F2, Neil Pryde and Deboichet and her supportive parents who were present to collect the award in her absence. Shreeve was unable to attend the awards due to commitments in Europe where she is currently competing in RS:X Olympic windsurfing regattas, and Formula, Slalom and Speed windsurfing events. Allison has started her Olympic preparation with increased success over the past few months. Two titles won early in the year, the Oceanic and South American Championships were stepping stones to the European tour to come. Allison started training full time on the new RS:X Olympic board in April after she won the Formula European Championships in Portimao (Portugal). With only 5 days training on the board she competed in the Holland regatta, a grade 1 ISAF event. After some light and tricky winds, she finished mid fleet. One week later after more training and testing, Allison went to Turkey to compete in the RS:X European Championships, the 2nd largest Olympic class event of the year. After solid top 10 results all week she just dropped out of the top 10 on the final day of racing to 13th just missing out on the medal race. A lingering viral infection in the lungs had taken its toll, however Allison moved onto Kiel in Germany where she finished in 5th place in the Grade 1 fleet. A hectic schedule ahead sees Allison attending Fuerteventura and then Turkey the following week for the PWA World Tour and IFCA World Slalom Championships before she heads home for a few days. Allison will continue her preparation for the Olympic trials in August at the Pre Olympics test event in Qingdao, China, where only two athletes per country will compete at the Olympic venue. The next day Allison will contest the Formula World Championships in Korea where she hopes to defend her World title. Finally Allison will finish a huge season with the RS:X World championships in Italy one week later where she hopes to place well to qualify Australia to be eligible to compete in the 2008 Olympics. "I know I have a lot on my plate over the next few months with the five most important events all back to back in four different time zones! I'm confident I will do well because of my preparation earlier this year, and I am really happy with my equipment and the way I'm sailing right now". “I consider it an enormous honour and great reward for my efforts, in receiving the Australian Female Sailor of the Year 2006. Congratulations to all the finalists and the other recipients of the major awards, including the Australian Male Sailor of the Year 2006, James Spithill. I represent Australia with great pride, and hope that I can continue to be successful in this sport of windsurfing that I love so much.” |