Nominations open for 2026 Barfoot & Thompson Yachting Excellence Awards

by Yachting New Zealand 3 Jul 21:00 NZST

Nominations open for 2026 Barfoot & Thompson Yachting Excellence Awards © Yachting New Zealand

Nominations are now open for the 2026 Barfoot & Thompson Yachting Excellence Awards, with Yachting New Zealand also unveiling a new category dedicated to recognising outstanding contributions to inclusive and para sailing.

The Hesketh Henry Inclusive Sailing Award is the newest addition to the programme, celebrating achievement, contribution and leadership within the inclusive and para sailing community. It is open to individuals or groups who have excelled in competition, created opportunities for disabled sailors, demonstrated leadership or advocacy, or made a sustained contribution through coaching, mentoring, volunteering, administration or programme development.

Yachting New Zealand chief executive Steve Armitage said the award reflected the momentum building across the community.

"Inclusive and para sailing has grown significantly in recent years, and that growth is a direct result of the dedication and creativity happening at club and community level," Armitage said. "This award recognises that work and celebrates the people behind it — whether they've competed at the highest level, developed a programme, changed the culture of their club, or simply made someone feel welcome on the water for the first time."

The new category builds on Sailability Wellington receiving the North Sails Sportsmanship Award at last year's ceremony for developing the ParAble yacht — a larger, more adaptable vessel designed specifically for disabled sailors.

Eighteen awards will be presented on the night, with nominations open across 13 categories spanning performance, coaching, officiating, youth, sustainability, cruising and long-term service to the sport. Five further awards will be decided by a judging panel on the night — the Orbit World Travel Sailor of the Year Award for the Sir Bernard Fergusson Trophy, the Barfoot & Thompson Male and Female Sailor of the Year Awards, and the NZL Sailing Foundation Young Male and Young Female Sailor of the Year Awards.

Last year's honours included Emirates Team New Zealand claiming the Orbit World Travel Sailor of the Year award following its historic third consecutive America's Cup victory in Barcelona, wingfoiling star Sean Herbert awarded the Male Sailor of the Year award, and Megan Thomson and her 2.0 Racing Team earning Female Sailor of the Year after pushing five-time world champion Pauline Courtois to a deciding race at the 2025 Women's Match Racing World Championship in Chicago.

Other highlights of the evening included the inaugural Peter Lester Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sailing, supported by Lawson's Dry Hills, presented to Mark Mulcare — a former blind world champion who has contributed more than 20 years of service to keelboat and club racing. Kohimarama Yacht Club also received the Evocean Sustainability Award for the Marama Project, the country's first full restoration and electrification of a 23-foot committee boat.

Lucas Hebberd received the MAST Academy Young Leadership Award, Sailability Wellington was awarded the North Sails Sportsmanship Award, and Ryan Parkin was named Millennium Hotels and Resorts NZ Official of the Year.

Armitage encouraged the sailing community to put forward the people in their communities who deserved to be celebrated.

"Our clubs, class associations and sailing organisations are full of people doing remarkable things — and often they're the last ones to seek recognition for it," he said. "We'd love to see a strong field of nominations right across all our categories this year."

The following categories are open for nomination: