Issue date
This Friday, 50 years on from the inception of the New Zealand Sailor of the Year Award, the Sir Bernard Fergusson Trophy will be presented to the winner of the 2013 House of Travel Sailor of the Year.
After an incredible year on the water for New Zealand sailors the much anticipated announcement will be made at the 2013 Volvo Yachting Excellence Awards on the evening of Friday 29th November. A full house is expected in the main hall of Auckland’s Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron where this year’s Golden Anniversary dinner will be held.
A full list of Performance and Service Awards for 2013 was revealed by Yachting New Zealand on 25th October featuring an impressive list of achievements across many different disciplines of the sport of sailing, giving an indication of who is in the mix for the major prize.
It has been a hugely successful year for the NZL Sailing Team and this nation’s Olympic campaigners highlighted by three World Championship titles including Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie in the Women’s 470, Peter Burling and Blair Tuke in the 49er and Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech in the 49erFX. Plus Josh Porebski and Marcus Hansen achieved a career topping World Championship silver medal in the 49er.
Emirates Team New Zealand captured the New Zealand public with their Louis Vuitton Cup victory bringing our sport into the mainstream spotlight as the nation watched the incredible, heart-stopping spectacle of the 34th America’s Cup on San Francisco Bay.
And New Zealand went one, two atop the podium for the inaugural Red Bull Youth America’s Cup, sailed in AC45 catamarans in San Francisco, with the NZL Sailing Team with ETNZ crowned Champions and FMJ Racing securing second place.
Also on the programme for next Friday’s gala dinner are the announcement of 2013 Volvo Young Sailor of the Year, B & G Coach/Official of the Year and the one off Partridge Jewellers Golden Anniversary Prize.
Presentations will also be made for Yachting New Zealand Performance Awards, Youth Performance Awards, Service Awards, President’s Award and the Zhik Emerging Talent Award. Seven individuals are being honoured in 2013 with Yachting New Zealand Life Membership, and this will also be celebrated next Friday.
Media enquiries:
Jodie Bakewell-White
Email: jodie@yachtingnz.org.nz
Tel. 021 709 065
Event enquiries and ticket sales:
Beth Orton
Email: reception@yachtingnz.org.nz
Tel. (09) 361 1471
