Yachting New Zealand’s pioneering schools education framework, RŪNĀ, has been named a finalist in the 2026 New Zealand Sport and Recreation Awards, earning recognition in the Environmental Sustainability category for its work connecting young people to the moana through sailing, science and kaitiakitanga.
The nomination places RŪNĀ among a select group of national initiatives acknowledged for driving environmental impact through sport and recreation, as announced by Sport New Zealand.
Delivered by Yachting New Zealand in partnership with schools, clubs and iwi, RŪNĀ uses sailing as an entry point for environmental learning. The programme blends hands-on sailing with marine science, renewable energy education and mātauranga Māori, supporting students to move from awareness of environmental issues to active guardianship.
Structured around three learning modules — Moanamana, Kōkōkaha and Kōrinorino — the initiative introduces students to marine monitoring and restoration, wind energy innovation, and local history and navigation knowledge. Together, these experiences are designed to build environmental literacy, practical capability and stronger connections to local coastal environments.
Since its rollout, RŪNĀ has engaged more than 21,000 children across 10 regions nationwide, with thousands of students participating annually through a network of schools and yacht clubs. The programme is also supported by hundreds of teachers and continues to expand its reach as more schools adopt its curriculum-linked resources.
Alisa Torgersen, education lead at Yachting New Zealand, said being shortlisted for the award is significant recognition of the work happening on the ground.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to be shortlisted for this award. In itself, it is a major recognition of the work teachers and yacht club volunteers are doing to incorporate the programme into their syllabus,” she said.
“RŪNĀ was created as a way to find new ways to connect with local communities and to find practical and sustainable ways to care for the marine environment in our own backyards. Not only is the programme achieving that, but it is also going from strength to strength, and we are now seeing other countries adopting it to do the same in their own communities.”
Yachting New Zealand recently confirmed the first international implementation of the RŪNĀ programme at Colegio Puerto Varas, an English–Spanish bilingual school in Chile’s Lake District, and with plans underway for delivery in other countries, including Vietnam.
Students assess plankton diversity under a microscope as part of the Moanamana module.
Sport New Zealand Group Chief Executive Raelene Castle said the awards recognise the wide-ranging impact of sport and recreation across New Zealand communities.
“These finalists reflect the positive difference sport and recreation make in communities across Aotearoa,” Castle said. “They range from organisations bringing people together locally, to initiatives creating more inclusive and welcoming opportunities, and projects helping protect and sustain the environments where activity happens.”
Winners will be announced at a ceremony at the New Zealand International Conference Centre in Auckland on Monday, 8 June. Across six categories, 18 finalists have been shortlisted.
The 2026 awards have also seen increased competition, with organisers noting a significant rise in nominations and a marked increase in entries in the Commercial Partnership category, reflecting growing collaboration across the sector.
The judging panel is chaired by Mike Stanley CNZM, alongside Fiona Allan ONZM, Dallas Seymour, Wayne Werder and Jacob Driver. The Jim Maniapoto Memorial Taonga – Excellence in impacting Māori participation as Māori is judged independently by Te Miri Rangi, Wai Taumaunu ONZM MBE and Veronica Thompson MNZM.
Also awarded on the night will be the C.K. Doig Leadership Award and the Sir Eion and Lady Edgar Lifetime Achievement Award.
2026 New Zealand Sport and Recreation Awards finalists
Commercial Partnership
Basketball New Zealand and BNZ
North Canterbury Sport & Recreation Trust and MainPower
Surf Life Saving New Zealand and AON
Community Impact
āhei – Connecting Schools Sport and Communities for Inclusive Participation
New Zealand Rugby – Contact Ready
North Canterbury Sport & Recreation Trust – Primary School Coaching Programme
Environmental Sustainability
REPLAY NZ
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited
Yachting New Zealand – RŪNĀ
Leadership in Diversity and Inclusion
āhei
New Zealand Football
Whenua Iti Outdoors
Excellence in Impacting Māori Participation as Māori
Māori Touch NZ
Rangataua o Aotearoa
Tuia Waitākere in partnership with Te Kawerau ā Maki
Susie Simcock Future Leaders’ Scholarship
Toby Doyle, New Zealand Cricket
Kerry McKenzie, New Zealand Rugby
Tarryn McKenzie, New Zealand Football
Belinda Randall, Gymnastics New Zealand
Originally published by Yachting New Zealand.
