Nominations for the 2025 Barfoot & Thompson Yachting Excellence Awards - the much-anticipated annual celebration of New Zealand's top sailing achievements, both on and off the water are open.
This year's event will once again honour the best the country has to offer, recognising excellence in sailing performance, officiating, coaching, sustainability, sportsmanship, leadership and community service. A date and venue will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
New Zealand has produced, and continues to produce, some outstanding sailors who have achieved amazing feats on the world stage. Previous winners of the Sir Bernard Fergusson Trophy for the Sailor of the Year include last year's 49er Olympic silver medallists Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie, Sir Peter Blake, Barbara Kendall, Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, Sir Russell Coutts, Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie, Bruce Farr, and Emirates Team New Zealand.
The awards are also an opportunity to recognise achievements at local and club level and there are many who do so much to make these places special.
Nominations close Sunday 31st August 2025.
The following award categories will be recognised in 2025:
- Sailor of the Year Award for the Sir Bernard Fergusson Trophy
- Male Sailor of the Year Award
- Female Sailor of the Year Award
- Young Male Sailor of the Year Award
- Young Female Sailor of the Year Award
- Performance Coach of the Year
- Yachting New Zealand Emerging Coach of the Year
- Official of the Year
- Emerging Talent Award
- Outstanding Contribution Award
- Young Leadership Award
- Sportsmanship Award
- Sustainability Award
- Service Awards
- Performance Awards
- Youth Performance Awards
- Cruising Awards
For a list of all previous award recipients, take a look at our Roll of Honour.
For more information or if you have any queries, please contact Angela Jordan at angela@yachtingnz.org.nz