Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush have capped off a remarkable year by claiming three prizes at the 2026 Barfoot & Thompson Yachting Excellence Awards, including the prestigious Sailor of the Year title. The high-flying Kiwi duo dominated the ceremony held at Royal Akarana Yacht Club on 6 November, which honoured the best of New Zealand sailing across categories spanning performance, officiating, coaching, sustainability, sportsmanship, leadership and community service.
Menzies and Rush were awarded the Sir Bernard Fergusson Trophy as Orbit World Travel Sailor of the Year following a season in which they cemented their status among the most exciting combinations in world sailing. Earlier this year, the pair claimed the 49er World Championship title in Quiberon, France, coming from behind in the final race to secure New Zealand’s first Olympic-class world championship since 2021. They also successfully defended their European title in Germany, becoming back-to-back champions.
Adding to an already exceptional night, the duo were named Barfoot & Thompson Male Sailor of the Year and received one of ten Radix Nutrition Performance Awards. Menzies and Lee Rush have also been announced as finalists in the Team of the Year category at the 2026 World Sailing Awards.
Rebecca Gmuer-Hornell was named Barfoot & Thompson Female Sailor of the Year. A sought-after sailor and yacht rigger, Gmuer-Hornell was part of the first all-female crew to complete a non-stop circumnavigation of the globe. She sailed aboard IDEC SPORT as part of a multi-national crew which crossed the Jules Verne Trophy finish line off the French island of Ushant after 57 days, 21 hours and 20 minutes at sea.
Yachting New Zealand Chief Executive Steve Armitage praised the achievements of the night’s top honourees. “George and Seb have claimed their position among the world’s leading men’s skiff teams this year, standing out against the best internationally. They have a bright future ahead of them, and we’re looking forward to seeing how they build on this stellar year,” he said.
“Rebecca Gmuer-Hornell’s achievements this year have likewise been exceptional. She’s forged an impressive career across offshore racing and the technical side of the sport, breaking new ground for women in sailing and highlighting the many pathways our sport offers.”
Armitage also highlighted that the awards extend well beyond on-water results. “For very obvious reasons, we tend to focus on excellence as something that is measured by results: a medal, a podium, a regatta win. Make no mistake, those things matter, and we will always chase them. But excellence takes many forms, and some of the most important ones never appear on a results sheet.”
The Peter Lester Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sailing, supported by Lawson’s Dry Hills, went to John and Linda Parrish. The pair have made an outstanding contribution to race management over more than four decades, officiating at more than 120 national regattas, six Olympic Games and over 30 world championships. Their expertise and dedication have played a significant role in developing generations of officials across New Zealand and internationally.
Jenny Armstrong and Andrew Brown were named B&G Performance Coaches of the Year for their work with male and female New Zealand 420 crews, who claimed bronze medals at the Youth Sailing World Championships in 2025.
The NZL Sailing Foundation Young Female Sailor of the Year award went to Bella Jenkins and Jess Handley, who are making their mark in the 29er class after placing second females overall and first under-19 team at the 2026 World Championships. Toby Wigglesworth was named NZL Sailing Foundation Young Male Sailor of the Year following his silver medal in the boys’ kitefoil class at the World Sailing Youth World Championships in Portugal in December 2025.
Blair Park was named Millennium Hotels and Resorts NZ Official of the Year for his significant contribution to supporting club racing, national championships and major regattas across Auckland. The AON Sustainability Award went to Dean Stanley for his role in developing and growing Yachting New Zealand’s RŪNĀ school and community engagement programme, helping establish Worser Bay Boating Club as a RŪNĀ pilot site.
Remy Thomassen was named the inaugural recipient of the Hesketh Henry Inclusive Sailing Award for 30 years of supporting sailing at Evans Bay Yacht and Motorboat Club, as well as volunteering with Sailability and helping develop the Parable class yacht.
Armitage congratulated all those honoured and recognised the wider contributions made across New Zealand’s sailing and boating community. “Tonight is about the people who make sailing happen. Not only those who reach the podium, but those who lay the marks, run the start boats, drive the kids to regattas and keep our clubs open. We salute and appreciate you all.”
The full list of winners at the 2026 Barfoot & Thompson Excellence Awards is as follows:
Yamaha Motor NZ Service Awards: Alan Barker (Whangārei Cruising Club), Tash Brasell (Lake Taupo Yacht Club), Geoff Herd (SSANZ), Tim Harris (Murrays Bay Sailing Club), Ann Hamilton (Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron [RNZYS]), Pamela Lilley (Panmure Yacht & Boating Club), John and Linda Macduff (Sailability Nelson [in association with Nelson Yacht Club]), Kerry O’Brien (Waimakariri Sailing Club), Jonathan Olds (Torbay Sailing Club), Lynn Porter (Lowry Bay Yacht Club), Vanessa Robson (Maraetai Sailing Club).
Kiwi Yachting and Baltic Lifejackets Cruising Award: Alan Wright (Gulf Harbour Yacht Club).
Appliances Online Youth Performance Awards: Cam Brown and Oli Stone (Murrays Bay Sailing Club and Kohimarama Yacht Club), Tessa Clinton and Amelia Higson (Wakatere Boating Club and Kohimarama Yacht Club), Kosta Gladiadis (Manly Sailing Club), Charlotte Handley (Murrays Bay Sailing Club), Bella Jenkins and Jess Handley (Kohimarama Yacht Club and Murrays Bay Sailing Club), Nelsen Meacham and Oli Stone (Wakatere Boating Club and Kohimarama Yacht Club), the New Zealand 29er Squad (Bella Jenkins, Jess Handley, Nelsen Meacham, Oli Stone, Matteo Barker, Leo Brown, Blake Batten, Hugo Smith, Ewan Brazle, Toby Clark), Chloe Turner (Murrays Bay Sailing Club), Zofia Wells (Glendowie Boating Club), Toby Wigglesworth (Manly Sailing Club).
Radix Nutrition Performance Awards: Aimee Bright (Manly Sailing Club), Chris Bouzaid (RNZYS), Don Cowie and Murray Jones (Milford Cruising Club and Royal Akarana Yacht Club), George Gautrey (Muritai Yacht Club), Rebecca Gmuer-Hornell (Opua Cruising Club), Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush (Murrays Bay Sailing Club and Wakatere Boating Club), Karl Purdie (Plimmerton Boating Club), Dave Shaw (Nelson Yacht Club), Veerle ten Have (Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club), Hugo Wigglesworth (Kohimarama Yacht Club).
MAST Academy Young Leadership Award: Paige Mia Langford (Nelson Yacht Club).
PredictWind Emerging Talent Award: Aurora Edhouse and Nathan Soper (Murrays Bay Sailing Club).
Yachting New Zealand Emerging Coach of the Year: Noah Kota (Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club).
B&G Performance Coach of the Year: Jenny Armstrong and Andrew Brown (Otago Yacht Club and Wakatere Boating Club).
Millennium Hotels and Resorts NZ Official of the Year: Blair Park (RNZYS).
Hesketh Henry Inclusive Sailing Award: Remy Thomassen (Evans Bay Yacht and Motorboat Club).
AON Sustainability Award: Dean Stanley (Worser Bay Boating Club).
North Sails Sportsmanship Award: Tom Hall, Tom Sanderson and Sam Francis-Stead (Murrays Bay Sailing Club).
NZL Sailing Foundation Young Female Sailor of the Year: Bella Jenkins and Jess Handley (Kohimarama Yacht Club and Murrays Bay Sailing Club).
NZL Sailing Foundation Young Male Sailor of the Year: Toby Wigglesworth (Manly Sailing Club).
Barfoot & Thompson Female Sailor of the Year: Rebecca Gmuer-Hornell (Opua Cruising Club).
Barfoot & Thompson Male Sailor of the Year: Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush (Murrays Bay Sailing Club and Wakatere Boating Club).
The Peter Lester Award for Outstanding Contribution to Sailing, supported by Lawson’s Dry Hills: John and Linda Parrish (Gulf Harbour Yacht Club).
Orbit World Travel Sailor of the Year: Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush (Murrays Bay Sailing Club and Wakatere Boating Club).
