The Yamaha Motor New Zealand Service Awards, presented as part of the Barfoot and Thompson Yachting Excellence Awards, shine a light on the people working quietly behind the scenes to keep sailing alive in this country. These awards exist to recognise volunteers whose contributions happen away from the helm, celebrating those who give their time to coaching, race management, administration, safety, and the broader support of their clubs.
The awards acknowledge that competitive sailing depends on far more than the sailors themselves. Without the organisers, the coaches, the safety crews, and the administrators who pour countless hours into the sport, regattas would not happen and clubs would not function. The Yamaha Motor New Zealand Service Awards recognise that this work matters, and that the people doing it deserve acknowledgement alongside the athletes they support.
By honouring these grassroots contributors through the Barfoot and Thompson Yachting Excellence Awards, New Zealand sailing celebrates the full picture of what keeps the sport running at every level.
