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Chances are you have already heard about Andrew McKenzie… he is one of New Zealand’s rising stars in single handed dinghy sailing. Andrew has been selected to sail for New Zealand in Cyprus at the 2013 ISAF Youth World Championships in the Laser Radial.
The Kohimarama Yacht Club sailor has plenty of international competition under his belt having represented New Zealand at the 2008 Optimist World Championships, competed in Canada under Yachting New Zealand’s CORK scholarship in 2011, sailed in Laser Radial Regattas across the ditch in Australia and in the UK. And Andrew was a member of the 2012 NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team that sailed in Dublin last July.
His most significant achievements include second place (tied points with the winner) at the 2012 Laser Radial Youth World Championships, sailed in Brisbane, and victory in the UK Laser Radial Youth National Championship. Recently he was a finalist at the prestigious Halberg Sports Awards in the Emerging Talent category.
All this is impressive, but even more so when you hear that Andrew could easily been put off sailing after an accident back in 2007; “When my sailing career was just getting underway, I had a freak accident involving a propeller and my left foot.”
“I was in hospital for just under a month, wheelchair bound for the next six weeks, and then a further six weeks on crutches and in a moon boot after that. The next year I placed 3rd in the optimist nationals, two places better than the previous year. My sailing career and results have continued to improve following the incident.”
Andrew answers some questions for us here…
Name: Andrew McKenzie
Yacht Club: Kohimarama Yacht Club
Date of birth: July 1995
Q: List your top three sailing accomplishments?
A: 1st Laser Radial Nationals, 2nd Laser Radial Youth Worlds, 1st RYA Volvo Youth Nationals
Q: How did you get into sailing?
A: My dad. I was going on board boats before I was even a year old.
Q: Favourite thing to eat after a long day on the water?
A: Chicken stir fry
Q: Favourite place to sail?
A: Takapuna
Q: Who are your role models?
A: Andy Maloney and Sam Meech (both NZL Sailing Team sailors)
Q: What is the best thing about sailing your youth class boat?
A: Tough mental, physical and tactical fleet
Q: What do you hope to achieve in the upcoming year?
A: Win the ISAF Youth worlds in the Laser Radial
Q: How will you prepare for the Youth Worlds?
A: Get on the water, in the gym and on the bike as possible
Q: Which regattas will you be attending in the lead-up?
A: ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres sailing a standard rig Laser
