2025 Gliding Australia Award Winners
Each year, the Gliding Australia AGM gives us the opportunity to pause, reflect, and celebrate the individuals who lift our sport higher through dedication, innovation, and service. The 2025 Gliding Australia Awards recognise pilots, volunteers, engineers, administrators, and promoters whose contributions ensure our community continues to thrive.
Bill Iggulden Award – Services to Gliding as a Volunteer
Awarded to: Beverley Matthews (posthumous)
This year, Gliding Australia honours the late Beverley Matthews for a lifetime of service that helped shape the gliding community we know today. A pioneer in early electronics and computing, Beverley used her expertise to support membership systems, contest scoring, and some of the Gliding Australia’s earliest technology decisions.
Her legacy is vast – from helping establish the first Gliding Australia website in 1996, to founding the SA Gliding History Trust, which evolved into the Monarto Sailplane Museum. Her dedication to preserving knowledge, history, and technical methods continues to influence generations of glider pilots and enthusiasts.
Ryan Award – Services to Airworthiness
Awarded to: Ben Terrell
When the Piper PA-25 tow fleet faced widespread grounding, Ben Terrell stepped up. His work liaising with CASA and developing an alternative testing procedure for Australian PA-25 wings significantly reduced downtime for clubs around the country.
A professional aeronautical engineer, Ben has contributed countless hours to ensure our fleets remain safe and operational – and continues this work as a key member of the PA-25 Working Group.
JR Muller Award – Promotion and Marketing
Awarded to: Anne Elliott
Few people celebrate gliding with the passion and consistency of Anne Elliott. As an administrator of multiple gliding Facebook pages, Anne shares daily stories, news, and historical treasures with audiences across Australia and internationally.
Her social posts have become a beloved fixture in the gliding community, helping broaden our reach and spark enthusiasm for the sport among pilots and non-pilots alike.
Hoinville Award – Services to Operations
Awarded to: Justin Fitzgerald
With deep experience from the UK and Australia, Justin Fitzgerald has been instrumental in strengthening the operational and soaring development pathways for the Australian Air Force Cadets.
His work developing cross-country capability within the AAFC – including the inaugural national course at Temora – marks a major step forward in youth development. His leadership in equipment upgrades, safety supervision training, and operational guidance has set up the next generation of cadet instructors for success.
Wally Wallington Award – Services to the Sport of Gliding
Awarded to: Nick Gilbert
For more than a decade, Nick Gilbert has contributed to the competitive gliding landscape with extraordinary dedication. From the JoeyGlide era to the innovative SkyRace Grand Prix, Nick has continuously created new and exciting ways for pilots to participate in competition gliding.
More recently, his work developing national tracking technologies has helped modernise the sport and enhance public engagement. As organiser of the rapidly growing 2025/26 Multiclass Nationals, Nick continues to influence and energise the national competition scene.
Flying Performance Trophies
This year’s flying performance awards celebrate outstanding achievements in cross-country soaring, height gains, international competition, and season-long consistency.
Wally Woods Trophy – Longest Flight (2024–25)
Winner: Tomas Suchanek
Distance: 1,178 km
Bob Irvine Trophy – Highest WeGlide Points (2024–25)
Winner: Tomas Suchanek
Score: 1,239 points (1,108 km)
Martin Werner Trophy – Greatest Gain of Height (2024–25)
Winners: Rick Agnew & Josh Davis
Height Gain: 20,318 ft
Roger Woods Trophy – Best Australian Placing at a World Championship
Winner: Sophie Curio
Result: 4th place – WWGC, Aug 2025
RAeS Shield – Highest Speed at World Club Class Championships
Winner: James Nugent
Speed: 120.67 km/h – CCWGC, June 2025
Ingo Renner Cup (Summer) – Best Three Flights
Winner: Tomas Suchanek
Points: 4,208
Ingo Renner Cup (Winter) – Best Three Flights
Winner: Chris Woolley
Points: 1,761
WeGlide Australian League – Club Champion
Winner: Gliding Club of Victoria
ASAC Recognition Award
Recipient: Anthony Smith
Congratulations to All Award Recipients
Thank you to everyone recognised this year, and to all members who continue to contribute in ways big and small. Your support, time, and enthusiasm make a genuine difference. We look forward to another year of safe flying, steady progress, and supporting each other across the gliding community.
