New Zealand’s sailing community gathers at Royal Akarana Yacht Club in Auckland’s Ōkahu Bay tonight for the 2026 Barfoot & Thompson Yachting Excellence Awards. It’s a chance to recognise the sailors, volunteers and supporters whose achievements and contributions reach across the sport. Some have represented New Zealand overseas. Others have spent years keeping their local clubs running, helping newcomers afloat or pursuing cruising ambitions beyond familiar waters.
Behind each award sits a story of commitment, whether measured in ocean miles, race results or hours freely given. We’ll bring you those stories as the evening unfolds, adding winners, highlights and reactions to this article throughout the night. Keep checking back as we celebrate the people who make New Zealand sailing what it is.
The Orbit World Travel Sailor of the Year Award, for the Sir Bernard Fergusson Trophy, heads tonight’s honours. Separate awards recognise male, female and young sailors, alongside performance awards celebrating achievements across the sport. Coaches, race officials and emerging talent also share the spotlight, recognising the people who help sailors develop and competition thrive.
The evening reaches well beyond race results. Service, sportsmanship, young leadership, sustainability and inclusive sailing all feature among the categories. The Lawson’s Dry Hills Peter Lester Award recognises outstanding contribution to sailing. Meanwhile, the Kiwi Yachting & Baltic Lifejackets Cruising Awards celebrate achievements away from the racecourse, giving cruising its place alongside competitive success.
MC for the evening Jesse Tuke - brother of New Zealand SailGP and America’s Cup star - opened the awards evening with a reflection on sailing in New Zealand.
Jason Shoebridge Yachting New Zealand’s interim Board Chair of Yachting New Zealand has taken the stage to talk about the future of yachting in New Zealand. He highlights the passion of people in the sport and the calibre of New Zealand’s yachts people.
The backbone of sailing in New Zealand
The service awards are supported by Yamaha Motors New Zealand. Each award recipient has significantly contributed - often over many years - to grass roots yachting in New Zealand.
Alan Barker, Tash Brashell, Geoff Herd, Tim Harris, Ann Hamilton, Pamela Lilley (absent), John and Linda Macduff (absent), Kerry O’Brien (absent), Jonathan Olds, Lynn Porter, and Vanessa Robson.
Read more about these amazing award winners https://goboating.nz/articles/ten-tireless-volunteers-honoured-for-years-of/
Outstanding contributions to New Zealand cruising community
The Kiwi Yachting & Baltic Lifejackets Cruising Awards has gone to Alan Wright, New Zealand yacht designer. An inspiration to sailors in New Zealand of all ages. Alan says it is a wonderful privilege and pleasure. And an unexpected surprise. He looks around the room to see people who have been around in New Zealand yachting saying how amazing it has been to get to this point in New Zealand after so many years.
The sailors of tomorrow
Gene Harris and Bruce Kendall presented the awards for New Zealand’s youth sailors, each recognised to their contributions to the world sailing stage. All achievers in their own right and reflect the dedication they have for their sport.
The Appliances Online Youth Performance Awards recognised young sailors Cam Brown, Oli Stone, Tessa Clinton, Amelia Higson, Kosta Gladiadis, Charlotte Handley, Bella Jenkins, Jess Handley, Nelsen Meacham, Matteo Barker, Leo Brown, Blake Batten, Hugo Smith, Ewan Brazle, Toby Clark, Chloe Turner, Zofia Wells and Toby Wigglesworth.
Several recipients earned recognition more than once, with Bella Jenkins, Jess Handley, Nelsen Meacham and Oli Stone appearing across multiple presentations. Gene Harris and Bruce Kendall presented the awards.
World titles and ocean achievements honoured at the Radix Performance Awards
The Radix Nutrition Performance Awards recognise outstanding sailing results across national and international competition. Leighton Cosgrave presented this year’s honours, spanning ocean racing, dinghies, multihulls and foiling disciplines.
Aimee Bright earned recognition for iQFOiL European silver and domestic titles. Veerle ten Have finished fifth at the iQFOiL worlds, while George Gautrey took ILCA 7 European bronze. Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush became the youngest 49er world champions and retained their European title.
Don Cowie and Murray Jones helped Sled win the TP52 world championship. Rebecca Gmuer-Hornell sailed aboard IDEC SPORT with the first all-female crew to complete a nonstop circumnavigation. Chris Bouzaid, meanwhile, enjoyed an unbeaten Maine classic yacht season aboard Bijou II at 84.
Karl Purdie won the Finn Great Grand Master world title and placed third at the Finn Masters worlds. Dave Shaw collected national titles in the Paper Tiger, A Class and Tornado. Hugo Wigglesworth successfully defended his Hydrofoil Big Air world crown. (yachtingnz.org.nz)
Bouzaid, Gautrey, Shaw and ten Have were absent. Wigglesworth’s father, Luke, accepted on his behalf.
A thanks from Steve Armitage
Steve Armitage, CEO of Yachting New Zealand, spends time thanking the outgoing board chair Greg Knowles reflecting on how his experience will be missed. He then reflected on the difficulties of being committed to a sport before thanking sponsors, parents, and communities, all who make yachting in New Zealand what it is today.
Paige Mia Langford recognised for young leadership in sailing
Paige Mia Langford received the MAST Academy Young Leadership Award, presented by Joe Daw. The award recognises young leadership within the sailing community, celebrating the contribution young people make to the sport.
Aurora Edhouse and Nathan Soper recognised as emerging talent
Aurora Edhouse and Nathan Soper received the PredictWind Emerging Talent Award, presented by Jon and Tracey Bilger. The award celebrates promising sailors as they develop their skills and make their mark in the sport.
Noah Kota named Emerging Coach of the Year
Noah Kota from the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club received the Yachting New Zealand Emerging Coach of the Year Award, presented by Raynor Haagh. Kota, who competed as a youth sailor in classes like the O'pen Skiff (including competing in the O'pen Skiff Nationals) and participated in programs through the Bay of Plenty Sailing Academy Trust (BoPSAT), was awarded the honour that recognises an emerging coach’s contribution to developing sailors and supporting their progress in the sport.
Andrew Brown and Jenny Armstrong honoured for performance coaching
Andrew Brown and Jenny Armstrong received the B&G Performance Coach Award, recognising their work developing sailors and preparing them for competition. Both helped coach New Zealand’s youth team for the 2025 Youth World Championships, where the squad won three medals. Melissa Rewi presented the award.
Blair Park honoured for his work across the racecourse
Blair Park received the Millennium Hotels and Resorts Official of the Year Award, presented by Melanie Beattie. His experience spans race management, mark laying, umpiring and judging, including national keelboat championships and the Squadron’s youth training programme. Park also mentors young sailors, helping them understand protests and the racing rules.
Remy Thomassen recognised for helping make sailing accessible
Remy Thomassen received the Hesketh Henry Inclusive Sailing Award, presented by Simon Cartwright. A trustee and volunteer with Sailability Wellington, Thomassen supports an organisation that creates sailing opportunities for people with disabilities. The award celebrates contributions that help more people participate in the sport.
Dean Stanley recognised for connecting sailing and ocean care
Dean Stanley received the AON Sustainability Award, presented by Darren Pattle. Stanley has helped shape RŪNĀ, Yachting New Zealand’s schools programme linking sailing with marine science and environmental learning. His work helps young people understand ocean health and take action to protect their local waters.
Tom Hall, Tom Sanderson and Sam Francis-Stead honoured for sportsmanship
Tom Hall, Tom Sanderson and Sam Francis-Stead received the North Sails Sportsmanship Award, presented by Derek Scott. The award celebrates the spirit of sailing, recognising conduct that reflects fairness, respect and consideration for others.
Bella Jenkins and Jess Handley share Young Female Sailor honours
Bella Jenkins and Jess Handley received the NZL Sailing Foundation Young Female Sailor of the Year Award, presented by Michelle Bain. The pair won the female under-19 title at the 2026 29er World Championships in Kiel, Germany, also claiming overall female silver. Their performance helped New Zealand secure the Nations Cup as the championship’s top nation.
Toby Wigglesworth named Young Male Sailor of the Year
Toby Wigglesworth received the NZL Sailing Foundation Young Male Sailor of the Year Award, presented by Michelle Bain. He claimed under-19 bronze at the 2026 Formula Kite Youth European Championships in Gizzeria, Italy, finishing seventh overall. That performance followed his silver medal at the 2025 Youth World Championships in Portugal.
Rebecca Gmuer-Hornell named Female Sailor of the Year
Rebecca Gmuer-Hornell received the Barfoot & Thompson Female Sailor of the Year Award, presented by Peter Thompson. She sailed aboard IDEC SPORT with the first all-female crew to complete a nonstop circumnavigation of the globe. The crew completed the voyage in 57 days, 21 hours and 20 minutes, overcoming equipment failures and demanding Southern Ocean conditions.
Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush share Male Sailor honours
Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush received the Barfoot & Thompson Male Sailor of the Year Award, presented by Peter Thompson. The pair became the youngest 49er world champions, winning the 2026 title in Quiberon, France, after a final-race comeback. They also successfully defended their European title in Germany.
John and Linda Parrish honoured for outstanding contribution to race management
John and Linda Parrish received the Lawson’s Dry Hills Peter Lester Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sailing, presented by Sion Barnsley. The honour recognises their outstanding contribution to race management, Training and international contributions.
Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush claim Sailor of the Year
Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush received the Orbit World Travel Sailor of the Year Award and Sir Bernard Fergusson Trophy. Brendan Drury and Debbie Kelly presented the evening’s premier honour. Representing Murrays Bay Sailing Club and Wakatere Boating Club respectively, the pair became the youngest 49er world champions in 2026. They also retained their European title, completing an outstanding international season.
