A MORNINGTON Peninsula organisation and teenage twin brothers have taken home awards at the 2025 Victorian Sport Awards, presented by the Victorian government and Vicsport on 13 May at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Among 19 awards covering athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and administrators, local winners were Mornington Life Saving Club, and sailing brothers from Sorrento.
Sixteen-year-old twins, Henri and Miles Levenspiel, took out Young Team of the Year for a standout 2025 season of sailing (Twins ride high sailing into sports awards, The News 22/4/25).
The pair claimed first junior at the Australian 9er National Championships, were crowned Victorian 29er State Champions and Victorian Youth Champions, won Sail Melbourne, and represented Australia at the 29er World Championships in Portugal.
The win came a year after they were finalists in the same award. Henri said international competition had been the key factor.
“We were pretty consistent with our results across both years, but in 2025 we had international competition included and I think that probably made a difference at the level we were competing. When they called out our names there were a lot of emotions at once. I felt a real sense of pride and couldn’t stop smiling,” said Henri.
“We had been through the experience before as finalists, but hearing our names announced as the winners was completely different. I felt an overload of joy and excitement. It was a really special moment,” said Miles.
With the Nationals in Victoria in 2026, the twins said they wanted to use the year to encourage more local sailors to get involved while also giving back to younger competitors.
“We’ve been lucky to have some amazing mentors and coaches around us, including Tess Lloyd OLY, David White from Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club and coaches Jack Lewis and Harry Sly. Those people have had a huge impact on our journey and we’d love to do the same for others,” said Miles.
Mornington Life Saving Club claimed the VicHealth Sport and Active Recreation Initiative of the Year for its Schools Program, with coordinator Jacqui Morrow saying the award capped a strong run of recognition for the program.
“This follows on from our program winning the Community Education Achievement Award at the Lifesaving Victoria Awards of Excellence last year. It is wonderful recognition for our program, which has been running for 25 years enabling thousands of Victorian school children to safely engage in sport and recreation through structured, inclusive beach and water-based activities,” said Morrow.
Sessions run from 10am to 2pm and cover a wide range of activities.
“A typical day integrates physical activity in the form of games – in and out of the water, riding foam surfboards, rescues, snorkelling, flags and running, water safety education and lifesaving skills – CPR, first aid, marine life education and learning how to identify rips and what to do if you get stuck in one,” said Morrow.
Morrow said inclusion was built into the program’s design from the ground up.
“By embedding inclusion into our program design rather than treating it as an add-on, we give all kids an equal opportunity and remove any barriers to access. We have a mobi water wheelchair, floatation aids, full-face snorkels and masks and run free programs for schools who may not have the funds to attend,” said Morrow.
“We have approximately 4,000 kids per season across about 24 schools, from the peninsula and Frankston and further afield: Carrum Downs, Langwarrin, Pearcedale, Baxter, Seaford, Casey, Belgrave. All our schools rebook for the following year and we have achieved a 20 per cent increase over the last couple of years,” said Morrow.
The program is delivered by volunteer instructors who have come through the club as nippers and seniors.
“This recognition belongs to our coordinators and instructors past and present, the schools, and the students who show up with enthusiasm and curiosity every single session. And it belongs to our community, who continue to support the work we do,” said Morrow.
First published in the Mornington News – 26 May 2026
