Issue date
Outstanding sailing performance; exceptional achievement – the Yachting New Zealand Performance Award is earned by those reaching pinnacle points in their sailing careers and delivering results that make all of New Zealand proud. Those being awarded in this category are the sailors that achieve what our young up-and-comers aspire to – they are the next generation’s role models.
The 2012 Yachting Excellence Awards is on the evening of Friday 23rd November – just over two weeks from now, with an afternoon of celebration planned in the lead-up.
Congratulations to the following…
Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie – History makers in many ways Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie have secured their spot among New Zealand sailing’s legends with their Olympic Gold Medal in London. The first women to sail away with gold ‘in a boat’ for this country, Jo and Olivia held their nerve in that medal race and did us proud when they trounced the locals and sailed ashore to stand atop the Olympic dais, subsequently stepping up to become inspirational role models for this nation’s budding young sailors.
Peter Burling and Blair Tuke – No strangers to sailing success this talented pair have had their biggest year yet: Silver medal at the 2011 49er World Champs last December in Perth, repeating that with a silver medal at the 2012 49er World Champs in Croatia in May, then going on to secure New Zealand’s 100th Olympic medal. Peter Burling and Blair Tuke won this nation’s first Olympic medal in the 49er skiff class with their silver at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Mike Keeton – Wakatere Boating Club sailor Mike Keeton had double success during an Australian tour in March 2012 the highlight being crowned Laser Masters World Champion in the Radial Grand Master division. In the 36 strong fleet Mike sailed twelve races in all including ten top four results finishing seven points clear of his closest rival. While there Mike also won the Australian Laser Masters Championship in the same division.
Andy Maloney – Thriving in the competitive environment that is Olympic Laser campaigning in New Zealand, Andy Maloney was so consistently successful at this year’s major internationals that he earned himself an ISAF Sailing World Cup Trophy with a third overall in the 2012 Series. But the highlight for the 22 year old was winning his first Laser World Championship medal with a bronze medal in Germany in May.
Brad Marsh – 28 year old Aucklander Brad Marsh was the only kiwi on board Groupama, winner of the 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race. Marsh was recognised with the Race’s overall Abu Dhabi Seamanship Award after his heroic effort to repair the sinking yacht, saving a broken rig and scaling the31-metre mast in a storm front injuring himself in the process. A highlight for the Groupama bowman was to be first to arrive into Auckland, taking the leg victory from Sanya, China into the kiwi’s hometown.
Andrew Murdoch – In August this year Andrew Murdoch took fifth overall in the hugely competitive single-handed Laser class at the 2012 London Olympic Games. In a fleet of 49 of the world’s best, all at the very top of their Game the Northland sailor showed his class and came home with a top five Olympic finish.
Hamish Pepper and Jim Turner – Sailing in his fourth Olympics, Hamish Pepper reached his personal best this year with Jim Turner – 5th at the London Games in August. They finished on a high note, saving one of their best races for the final medal race where they finished 2nd.
Paul Snow-Hansen and Jason Saunders (pictured above) – Both just 21 years old Men’s 470 campaigners Paul Snow-Hansen and Jason Saunders outstripped their own performance targets as they built towards the London Games. The heat of the international gaze didn’t deter this young pair who sailed extraordinarily well to finish fifth overall in the hotly contested double-handed class in their debut at the Olympic Games. Men have represented New Zealand in this class at nine Olympics, and this result is New Zealand’s best yet.
Jon-Paul Tobin – Long-time windsurfing campaigner Jon-Paul Tobin produced two major career highlights during 2012. In March he collected a World Championship medal with bronze in the Men’s RS:X sailed in Cadiz, Spain and went on to place seventh at the London Olympic Games.
Alex Vallings and crew – 2012 has been Alex Vallings’ year in the 18ft skiffs skippering a brand new boat – C Tech – to two major victories. He opened the year with a win at the prestigious 2012 Mark Foy Trophy – the World Title for 18ft Skiffs, sailed in Auckland, with crew Ollie Scott-Mackie and Chris Kitchen. Then Vallings, this time with regular crew members Kitchen and Josh McCormack, went on to take out the 2012 18ft Skiff International Regatta in San Francisco in dominant fashion winning six of eight races including the famous Bridge to Bridge.
