Today, seventeen years after its founding, the original concept and objectives of the Malta Cruising Club are still adhered to.
Among the most valued and esteemed events of the Club is the Commodore’s Award presented annually to that member who has given special service to the Club and its members. Cruising is often characterized as a personal quest for adventure at sea, and Winston Urpani, the Malta Cruising Club Commodore’s Award winner for 2022 has had an exciting sailing accomplishment indeed.
Winston Urpani an enthusiastic sailor who, while living in the USA in his younger days was a keen windsurfer, has been a long-standing member of the Club – more than 12 years - and was one of the first members who engaged in sailing to Greece regularly and in particular the Ionian Sea.
Commodore Wilfred Sultana presents Winston Urpani with the Commodore’s Award for 2022 in the presence of the Malta Cruising Club Committee members.
Winston’s enticement and charm to the destination made him a point of reference to other members of the Club for advice and more than once he went out of his way to help them out in their difficulties. Such was the case this summer, when a member suddenly ended up with no crew to ferry his sailing boat to Greece, and he immediately volunteered to crew for him.
In the Club’s traditional off-season program of activities Winston Urpani even shared his cruising adventures to Greece, on his trusty sailing boat Moon Duster, by giving a full presentation on the subject to other members of the Club.
The Commodore’s Award Trophy was introduced by the then Secretary of the Club, Michael Mifsud, in 2011. Since then this recognition has been awarded on seven occasions, namely to David Dingli (2011), Austin Calleja (2013), Pierre Aquilina (2017), Patrick & Nadine Genovese (2018), John Cini (2019), Dr Carmel Abela (2020), and Dott. Ing. Luigi Tussellino (2021).
The brass sailing boat design Trophy originates from Marseilles France while the base, in solid walnut, was manufactured locally by Stephen Azzopardi (SAW Ltd).
