Kiwi sailors Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush have capped off a great year on the water by scooping three awards at the 2026 Barfoot & Thompson Yachting Excellence Awards, including sharing the coveted title of Sailor of the Year.
Held at Royal Akarana Yacht Club on 6 November, the 2026 awards honoured the best the country has to offer, recognising excellence in sailing performance, officiating, coaching, sustainability, sportsmanship, leadership and community service.
Menzies and Rush claimed the Sir Bernard Fergusson Trophy as Orbit World Travel Sailor of the Year, after a season where they firmly established their standing among the most exciting combinations in world sailing.
Earlier this year, the pair claimed the 49er World Championship title in Quiberon, France, coming back in the final race to secure New Zealand’s first Olympic-class world championship since 2021. They also successfully defended their European title in Germany, becoming back-to-back champions.
Adding to an already exceptional night of recognition, Menzies and Rush were also named the winners of the Barfoot & Thompson Male Sailor of the Year award and received one of ten Radix Nutrition Performance Awards.
Rebecca Gmuer-Hornell, a sought-after sailor and yacht rigger who was part of the first all-female crew to complete a non-stop circumnavigation of the globe, was named the Barfoot & Thompson Female Sailor of the Year.
Gmuer-Hornell was part of a multi-national crew aboard IDEC SPORT which crossed the Jules Verne Trophy finish line off the French island of Ushant after 57 days, 21 hours and 20 minutes at sea.
Steve Armitage, Yachting New Zealand’s Chief Executive, says the awards are an important celebration for New Zealand’s sailing and boating community.
“George and Seb have claimed their position among the world’s leading men’s skiff teams this year, standing out against the best internationally. They have a bright future ahead of them, and we’re looking forward to seeing how they build on this stellar year.
“Rebecca Gmuer-Hornell’s achievements this year have likewise been exceptional. She’s forged an impressive career across offshore racing and the technical side of the sport, breaking new ground for women in sailing and highlighting the many pathways our sport offers.”
As well as acknowledging excellence, the 2026 Barfoot & Thompson Yachting Excellence Awards recognise the efforts of the wider sailing and boating community in getting people out onto the water, Steve Armitage continues.
“For very obvious reasons, we tend to focus on excellence as something that is measured by results: a medal, a podium, a regatta win. Make no mistake, those things matter, and we will always chase them. But excellence takes many forms, and some of the most important ones never appear on a results sheet.”
The Peter Lester Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sailing, supported by Lawson’s Dry Hills is one such award, recognising a lifetime of dedication, influence and service to yachting by 2026 winners John and Linda Parrish.
John and Linda have made an outstanding contribution to race management over more than four decades, officiating at more than 120 national regattas, six Olympic Games and over 30 world championships. Their expertise and dedication have also played a big role in developing generations of officials across New Zealand and internationally.
Other award winners on the night included Jenny Armstrong and Andrew Brown being named as B&G Performance Coaches of the Year for their work with male and female New Zealand 420 crews, who claimed bronze medals at the Youth Sailing World Championships in 2025.
The NZL Sailing Foundation Young Female Sailor of the Year was awarded to Bella Jenkins and Jess Handley, who are making their mark in the 29er class, placing second females overall and the first under-19 team at the 2026 World Championships.
Toby Wigglesworth was named NZL Sailing Foundation Young Male Sailor of the Year after claiming the silver medal in the boys’ kitefoil class at the World Sailing Youth World Championships in Portugal in December 2025.
Blair Park was named Millennium Hotels and Resorts NZ Official of the Year, recognising his significant contribution to supporting club racing, national championships and major regattas across Auckland.
The AON Sustainability Award was presented to Dean Stanley for his role in developing and growing Yachting New Zealand’s RŪNĀ school and community engagement programme, helping establish Worser Bay Boating Club as a RŪNĀ pilot site.
Remy Thomassen was named as the inaugural recipient of the Hesketh Henry Inclusive Sailing Award for 30 years of supporting sailing at Evans Bay Yacht and Motorboat Club, as well as volunteering with Sailability and helping develop the Parable class yacht.
Steve Armitage congratulated all those honoured on the night and recognised the significant contributions made across New Zealand’s sailing and boating community.
“Tonight is about the people who make sailing happen. Not only those who reach the podium, but those who lay the marks, run the start boats, drive the kids to regattas and keep our clubs open. We salute and appreciate you all.”
