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Queen Charlotte Yacht Club sailors Nick Williams and Nick Gardiner were honored with the prestigious WK Sports Team of the Year award at the 2016 Marlborough Sports Awards on November 21.
Photo// Team Nick Gardiner and Nick Williams with sponsors Matt Kerr from WK advisers and Steve Mckeown from Port Malborough.
Williams and Gardiner have been sailing and training in the 420 after joining forces in 2015. This year the teenage pair travelled to the United States to compete in the William I Koch International Sea Scout Cup which they won by the biggest margin in the event’s history. The regatta, sailed in the two-person Flying Junior Class during August, was a fantastic event for the duo who finished 15 points clear of their closest challengers and also became the first overseas team to win the trophy.
Queen Charlotte Yacht Club Commodore Richard Gifford says it's fantastic for the sailing pair to be recognised by their local sporting community, with their success this year a tribute to the clubs' high standard of sailing talent.
The event marked 50 years of the iconic awards evening, with sports broadcaster Martin Devlin as the MC for the evening and guest speaker, Rio Olympian Nikki Hamblin providing insight into her recent rise to international stardom after helping a stricken rival at the games this year.
“It was another fantastic night” adds Gifford.
The high calibre of winners at Monday night's event, organised by Sport Tasman, Blenheim Round Table and the Marlborough Express, showcases the strength and depth of sport in the province.
This year saw previous winners of the sportsperson-of-the-year also in attendance, as 360 people turned out to celebrate the regions' sporting talent.
