Yachting Excellence Award winners announced

World champions and Volvo Ocean Race winners headline the initial list of recipients for the 2018 Volvo Yachting Excellence Awards, which also recognize individuals for their outstanding service to sailing in this country.

The winners will be recognized at a gala dinner at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron on November 23, when the top awards of the year will also be announced. Last year, Emirates Team New Zealand won the Sir Bernard Fergusson Trophy for Sailor of the Year after their stunning victory at the 2017 America’s Cup in Bermuda.

There has been plenty to celebrate over the past 12 months, with a number of New Zealanders excelling on the world stage.

Among the recipients are Daryl Wislang and Stuart Bannatyne, who helped Dongfeng win an incredibly tight Volvo Ocean Race, as well as M32 world champions Phil Robertson, Will Tiller, and Stewart Dodson, and the Honda Marine team of David McDiarmid, Matthew Steven, and Bradley Collins, who became the first New Zealanders to win the JJ Giltinan Trophy for 44 years.

It was a particularly successful year at youth level, with as many as nine medals picked up at Youth World Championships, including a record-equalling four at this year’s Youth Sailing World Championships in the United States. World titles were also won in the Laser Radial, 29er, and 420 classes.

The service awards are some of the most popular and they largely acknowledge people who don’t seek attention and fanfare, and this year’s recipients are scattered throughout the country.

“Congratulations to all of our award recipients,” Yachting New Zealand chief executive David Abercrombie said. “Kiwis continue to excel on the world stage, which can be seen by the number of world champions and winners of major trophies right from youth level.

“I would particularly like to congratulate the service award winners. They are the glue that hold our sport together and help make sailing such a special sport.”

The following categories will be recognized at the awards dinner on November 23:

Orbit World Travel Sailor of the Year Award for the Sir Bernard Fergusson Trophy
Volvo Young Sailor of the Year Award
Nespresso Coach of the Year
Zhik Official of the Year
Aon Emerging Talent Award
Lawson’s Dry Hills President’s Award

2018 Volvo Yachting Excellence Award winners:

Service
Amanda Michel – Wakatere Boating Club
Trevor Knowles – Motueka Yacht & Cruising Club
Ron & Anne Finch – Waimakariri Sailing Club
Rob & Anne Daniel – Lake Mahinapua Aquatic Club
Graham Ashford – Pohara Boat Club
Jill Metz-Mayhead & Adrian Mayhead – Wairoa Yacht Club
Richie Williams – Bucklands Beach Yacht Club
Dennis Win – Nelson Yacht Club
Keith Fraser – Heretaunga Boating Club
Bryan Taylor – Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron

Youth Performance
Francesco Kayrouz & Jackson Keon – Wakatere Boating Club & Murrays Bay Sailing Club
Seb Menzies & Blake McGlashan – Murrays Bay Sailing Club
Josh Armit – Murrays Bay Sailing Club
Veerle ten Have – Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club
Greta Stewart & Tom Fyfe – Murrays Bay Sailing Club
Seb Lardies & Scott McKenzie – Kohimarama Yacht Club
Crystal Sun & Olivia Hobbs – Kohimarama Yacht Club

Performance
David McDiarmid, Matthew Steven, Bradley Collins – Royal Akarana Yacht Club
Anthony Leighs – Naval Point Club Lyttleton
Daryl Wislang – Worser Bay Boating Club
Stuart Bannatyne – Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club
Sam Meech – Tauranga Yacht & Power Boat Club
Phil Robertson, William Tiller, Stewart Dodson – Royal NZ Yacht Squadron
Josh Porebski, Jack Simpson, David Hazard – Royal Akarana Yacht Club
Logan Dunning Beck & Oscar Gunn – Wakatere Boating Club, Murrays Bay Sailing Club

Cruising Award
Malcolm & Joan Dickson