The Radix Nutrition Performance Awards sit at the heart of the annual Barfoot and Thompson Yachting Excellence Awards, celebrating New Zealand sailors who have delivered world-class results on the international stage. Backed by Radix Nutrition, a Kiwi company producing high-performance meals and athlete fuel, the awards honour elite achievement across Olympic classes, offshore racing, professional circuits, and America's Cup campaigns. While the youth categories focus on emerging talent, this category is reserved for experienced sailors and teams who have shown exceptional skill, consistency, and success at the highest levels of global competition.
Radix Nutrition Performance Awards
2.0 Racing Team
Megan Thomson and her 2.0 Racing Team produced a standout result at the 2025 Women's Match Racing Worlds in Chicago, finishing runners-up after pushing Pauline Courtois all the way to a deciding race. Thomson, competing alongside Tiana Witte, Josie Andres, Charlotte Porter, and Heidi Rogers, showed the composure that defines world-class competition and matched the silver medal result the team achieved in 2024.
Emirates Team New Zealand
Emirates Team New Zealand claimed the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup in Barcelona, becoming the first team in the history of the event to win the Cup three consecutive times. Their final against INEOS Britannia was settled by a margin of just 37 seconds, reflecting the precision and tactical excellence that has come to define their campaigns.
George Gautrey
George Gautrey made a strong return to international ILCA competition, taking silver at the European Championship in Maastricht. He added a bronze at the Formula One World Championship in Cagliari, along with multiple podiums at events in Parma, Hyères, Long Beach, San Francisco, and Switzerland. Back home, he defended his national title, claimed the national triple crown, and took the Hawaiian state title.
Sean Herbert
New Zealand wingfoil racer Sean Herbert made a notable international breakthrough in 2025. He won his first two races at the Wingfoil Racing World Cup in Silvaplana, Switzerland, in June before securing a bronze medal on debut. He followed that with a dominant run at the 2025 U.S. Wingfoil Championships in San Francisco, winning 13 of 15 races. His year culminated in another bronze at the inaugural Formula Wing World Championships in Cagliari, Sardinia, in September 2025.
Knots Racing
Nick Egnot-Johnson, Jack Fruin, Zach Merton, and Chris Main make up Knots Racing, a team currently ranked number two in the world in match racing. Their standing reflects results including silver at the 2024 Match Racing Tour Final in Shenzhen, silver at the 2025 Macau Match Cup, and bronze at the Bermuda Gold Cup.
Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie
Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie, widely known as the McKiwis, earned their Radix Nutrition Performance Award on the back of a silver medal in the 49er at the Paris 2024 Olympics. They backed that up with strong international form, picking up a Kiel Week bronze and a medal race win at the 49er Europeans. After a year away from full campaign mode, they returned to finish seventh at the 2025 Worlds. Their award recognised the world-class consistency and teamwork that have become hallmarks of their partnership.
Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush
Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush claimed their Radix Nutrition Performance Award after winning the 2025 49er Open European Championships in Thessaloniki, taking the title with a full day of racing still remaining. The pair also won the trans Tasman 49er series at Hamilton Island and were named International Team of the Year. As part of the New Zealand 49er squad with LA 2028 in their sights, they are now regarded as major rising talents in the global fleet.
Anna Merchant and Aaron Hume-Merry
Anna Merchant and Aaron Hume-Merry earned their Radix Nutrition Performance Award after finishing fifth at the 2025 Offshore Double Handed World Championships in Cowes. They secured their place in the 10-boat final through a dramatic repechage win, marking clear progress from their 2024 campaign. The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron pair had previously topped the mixed double-handed division in the SSANZ Round the North Island Race, and their effort in Cowes was recognised as genuine determination at world level.
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron Admiral's Cup team
The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron Admiral's Cup team received a Radix Nutrition Performance Award for their performance at the 2025 Admiral's Cup. Racing aboard Callisto and Caro, the squad brought together top Kiwi talent and world-class professionals including Mike Sanderson, Dean Barker, and Adrian Stead. Callisto won the double-points Channel Race, and the team sat third after the early inshore racing before finishing fourth overall. The campaign combined exceptional teamwork and offshore strength on one of the sport's biggest stages.
Veerle ten Have
Veerle ten Have had a year that established her firmly among the most promising iQFOiL racers in the world. After making the top ten on her Olympic debut in Marseille, she opened the LA 2028 cycle with a bronze at the 2025 Princess Sofia Regatta and a tenth at the 2025 Worlds in Aarhus. The Tauranga windfoiler has risen rapidly through the class and is seen as a major prospect for future Olympic success.
