Yachting Awards Finalists Announced

The year’s yachting achievements will be celebrated in November at the 2009 Yachting Excellence Awards and Yachting New Zealand is delighted to announce the finalist nominees for the 2009.

The Yachting Excellence Awards presentation is an annual occasion which consistently attracts a packed audience to the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron for the announcement of Singapore Airlines Sailor of the Year and Young Sailor of the Year. Honour, Merit and Presidents Awards are also presented for service and achievement in the sport of yachting.
Those nominated, coming from the ranks of Olympic, America’s Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, and other great sailing disciplines, have reached the pinnacle of yachting on a national and international level, and join the likes of Sir Peter Blake, Russell Coutts, Mike Sanderson, Barbara Kendall, and Team New Zealand in our sport’s hall of fame.

In 2009 the list of seven finalists for Singapore Airlines Sailor of the Year includes international match racing number one Black Match Racing Team, long time ocean racers, Brad Jackson and Stu Bannatyne plus Olympic class sailors Hamish Pepper, Craig Monk, Michael Bullot and more. This will be no easy decision for the judging panel.

There are nine finalists for Young Sailor of the Year 2009 and this trophy looks set to feature a new name after the reign of Peter Burling and Carl Evans in recent years. Slash World Champion, Declan Burn from Picton is a finalist as are Women’s 420 World Champions Alexandra Maloney and Bianca Barbarich-Bacher. ISAF Youth World Championships Gold medallist in the Laser Class, Sam Meech is also in the line up.

Ticket sales are now open for the Yachting Excellence Awards Dinner on Friday 20th November 2009 at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. This has been a sell out event in past years, so we encourage you to get in early. Click here for the ticket order form.

Singapore Airlines Sailor of the Year Finalists
Black Match Racing Team – Match Racing
Brad Jackson and Stu Bannatyne – Ocean Racing
Mark Perrow – OK Dinghy Class
Michael Bullot – Olympic Laser Class
Bianca Barbarich Bacher and Alexandra Maloney – 420 Class
Blair Tuke – Olympic 49er and 29er Class
Hamish Pepper and Craig Monk – Olympic Star Class

Young Sailor of the Year Finalists
Declan Burn – Splash Class
Finn Drummond and Francisco Lardies – 420 Class
Paul Snow-Hansen and Jason Saunders – Olympic 470 Class
Sam Meech – Laser Class
Bucklands Beach Yacht Club Team Racing Team – Youth Teams Racing
2009 New Zealand 420 Worlds Team
2009 New Zealand Splash Worlds Team
Bianca Barbarich-Bacher and Alexandra Maloney – 420 Class
Blair Tuke – Olympic 49er and 29er Class

Yachting New Zealand Merit Awards
Michael Bullot – Olympic Laser Class
Emirates Team New Zealand – Louis Vuitton Pacific Series and Audi MedCup
NZB2 Blind Sailing Crew - Blind Sailing
Roger Pagani and crew – International BMW Sailing Cup
Reuben Corbett and crew - Teams Racing
Thomas Saunders – Starling Class
Bucklands Beach Yacht Club Team Racing Team - Youth Teams Racing
2009 New Zealand 420 Worlds Team
2009 New Zealand Splash Worlds Team
Blair Tuke - Olympic 49er and 29er Class
Sam Meech – Laser Class
Adam Minoprio - Match Racing
Brad Jackson and Stu Bannatyne – Ocean Racing
Mark Perrow – OK Dinghy Class
Bianca Barbarich-Bacher and Alex Maloney – 420 Class
Declan Burn – Splash Class
Finn Drummond and Francisco Lardies – 420 Class
Paul Snow-Hansen and Jason Saunders – Olympic 470 Class
Hamish Pepper and Craig Monk - Olympic Star Class

Yachting New Zealand Honour Awards
Bryan Robson Leckie (deceased)- Waihola Yacht Club
Brian Peet - Glendowie Boating Club
Ross Currie – For Coastal Rescue Efforts (Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club)
Gary Smith - For Coastal Rescue Efforts (Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club)
Greg Harrex - Macandrew Bay Boating Club
John Bullot – Murrays Bay Sailing Club & Richmond Yacht Club
John Old – Timaru Yacht & Powerboat Club
Judy Francis – Muritai Yacht Club
Justin Hurst - Waiuku Yacht Club
Tierry Coles - Wanganui Sailing Club
Trevor Hawke – Wanaka Yacht & Powerboat Club
Vera Mummery - Richmond Yacht Club
Bill Mitchinson - Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club
John Buck - Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club
Kevin Whitehead – Wakatere Boating Club
Graham Catley - Auckland Sailing Club

President’s Award Finalists
Team New Zealand 2000 Trust
Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club
Napier Sailing Club
Queen Charlotte Yacht Club
Wairoa Yacht Club