Issue date
Ten sailors or teams have been selected to receive a Yachting New Zealand Performance Award in 2013 recognising an outstanding performance and/or exceptional performances in the sport of yachting over the past twelve months.
The Yachting New Zealand Performance Awards winners for 2013 are…
- Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie – 2013 Women’s 470 World Champions
Jo Aleh (27 years old) and Polly Powrie (25 years old) were crowned 470 Women’s World Champions for the first time, the title coming exactly one year to the day since they won Olympic Gold. Aleh and Powrie announced their campaign towards Rio 2016 in December last year and since getting back in the boat early in 2013 have taken out Oceanbridge Sail Auckland, the EUROSAF Champions Sailing Cup in Garda and the Delta Lloyd Regatta, adding the 2013 World title to top off an excellent year.
(Representing: Takapuna Boating Club/Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron) - Peter Burling and Blair Tuke – 2013 49er World Champions
Peter Burling (22 years old) and Blair Tuke (24 years old) took their first ever world title in an Olympic class winning the 2013 49er World Championship at Marseille, France in September. This wasn’t the only major win for Burling and Tuke in 2013; the pair also took out the 2013 49er European Championship and were key members (skipper and tactician respectively) of the NZL Sailing Team with ETNZ that won the inaugural Red Bull Youth America’s Cup.
(Representing: Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club/Kerikeri Cruising Club) - Emirates Team New Zealand – Winners of the 2013 Louis Vuitton Trophy
After three years of total commitment towards a singular goal Emirates Team New Zealand went to San Francisco to challenge for the 2013 America’s Cup. Sailing AC72s Emirates Team New Zealand defeated Luna Rossa and Artemis to win the 2013 Louis Vuitton Trophy and the chance to line up against the might of defender Oracle Team USA. Coming astonishingly close to returning the America’s Cup to New Zealand the entire team conducted themselves in an exemplary way, putting sailing in the spotlight of the mainstream media and making all of New Zealand extremely proud.
(Representing: Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron) - Full Metal Jacket Racing – 2nd at the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup
Full Metal Jacket Racing, including sailors Will Tiller, Harry Thurston, Stu Dodson, Shaun Mason, Matt Steven and Ash Hammond earned FMJ Racing a place in the inaugural Red Bull Youth America’s Cup through a tough selection series staged in San Francisco in February. The team, who represent the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, went on to stand on the podium at the main event in September placing second overall of ten teams competing for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup title.
(Representing: Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron) - Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski – Silver at the 2013 49er World Championship
At the age of 20 and 21 years respectively Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski sailed away with a career topping silver medal at the 2013 49er World Championships in Marseille, France in September.
(Representing: Royal Akarana Yacht Club/Worser Bay Boating Club) - Gemma Jones and Jason Saunders – 9th at the 2013 Nacra 17 World Championship
Nacra 17 mixed multihull duo Gemma Jones (19 years old) and Jason Saunders (22 years old) finished 9th overall at the inaugural Nacra 17 World Championship sailed at The Hague, Netherlands in July.
(Representing: Murrays Bay Sailing Club/Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club) - Josh Junior – 9th at the 2013 Finn Gold Cup23 year old Josh Junior finished 9th overall at the 2013 Finn Gold Cup sailed in a world class 86-strong fleet in tricky conditions at Tallin, Estonia in late August. In other results this year Junior was 3rd at ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres and won the Finn class at the ISAF Sailing World Championships Test Event in Santander, Spain.
(Representing: Worser Bay Boating Club) - Alexandra Maloney and Molly Meech – 2013 49erFX World Champions
Ranked ISAF World # 1 through the year Alexandra Maloney (21 years old) and Molly Meech (20 year old) won the 49erFX World Championship title at Marseille, France in September. The pair also recorded top three placings at all the major international regattas they contested in 2013 including gold at ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres and a bronze at the 49erFX European Championships in Denmark in June.
(Representing: Murrays Bay Sailing Club/Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club) - NZL Sailing Team with ETNZ – Winners of the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup
Skipper Peter Burling and his crew of Blair Tuke, Jono Spurdle, Guy Endean, Andy Maloney, Sam Meech and Jason Saunders were crowned 2013 Red Bull Youth America’s Cup Champions in September winning the prestigious title after a tough four-day battle against nine other teams on San Francisco Bay in the AC45 catamarans.
(Representing: Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron) - Paul Snow-Hansen and Dan Willcox – 7th at the 2013 Men’s 470 World Championship
Paul Snow-Hansen and Dan Willcox (both 23 years old) finished 7th overall at the Men’s 470 World Championship at La Rochelle, France in August. Also in 2013 the pair has returned an 8th at the 470 European Championships, a silver medal at the Delta Lloyd Regatta and bronze at the International 470 Spring Cup.
(Representing: Wakatere Boating Club/Murrays Bay Sailing Club)
