Lucas Hebberd of the Murrays Bay Sailing Club took out the MAST Academy Young Leadership Award at the 2025 Barfoot and Thompson Yachting Excellence Awards, recognised for the kind of grassroots contribution that keeps sailing clubs alive and growing. The award, backed by MAST Academy, New Zealand's leading training provider across the marine, composites and specialised technology industries, is presented to young people who demonstrate exceptional initiative, genuine commitment to the sport, and the leadership qualities needed to develop sailing from the ground up.
MAST Academy's involvement as sponsor fits naturally with its wider purpose. Through apprenticeships, school-to-work pathways, pre-trade courses and industry-led training, the organisation works to build capability across New Zealand's marine sector. Supporting a Young Leadership Award reflects that same commitment to nurturing the next generation of motivated, skilled contributors to the marine community.
Hebberd's impact on youth and club sailing at Murrays Bay has been considerable. He took an active hand in strengthening the club's Learn to Sail programme, bringing better structure to the sessions, lifting participation and improving the experience for newcomers finding their way into the sport for the first time. His efforts opened up more training opportunities for young sailors and helped create a clearer, more accessible pathway for those ready to move beyond the introductory stages.
He also made his mark off the water, organising club and family events that drew people together and fostered a more inclusive, connected community. The energy and enthusiasm he brought to those occasions helped reinforce club culture and ensured that activities felt welcoming to sailors of all ages and backgrounds.
Hebberd's appetite for community involvement extends well beyond sailing. He serves as Socials Officer for the Auckland University Tramping Club, a role that speaks to a broader capacity for organisation, communication and bringing groups of people together around shared interests.
His recognition through the MAST Academy Young Leadership Award shines a light on the role young volunteers play in sustaining and advancing the sport. The work Hebberd has done at Murrays Bay is precisely what the award was created to celebrate: emerging leaders quietly shaping the future of sailing in Aotearoa.
