Mike Sanderson wins YNZ Sailor of the Year

by Sail-World on 10 Nov 2006 Mike Sanderson wins YNZ Sailor of the Year to back up his win in the ISAF Rolex Sailor of the Year earlier in the week.

The Junior Sailor of the Year was won by current 420 World Champions, Peter Evans and Carl Burling.

You can see a video of the announcement and presentation on www.sailcam.tv we'll have further video online later in the weekend.

From Jodie Perkins of Yachting New Zealand:

Carlson Wagonlit Travel Sailor of the Year.

The announcement was made at last night’s Yachting Excellence Awards, in Auckland, just two days after Sanderson was named ISAF Sailor of the Year, in Helsinki, Finland.

420 World Champions, Carl Evans and Peter Burling were named Young Sailor of the Year 2006. Both just fifteen years old the boys from Auckland and Tauranga respectively, were chosen from a list of seven finalists.

Many others were recognised at last night’s Awards presentation which attracted a capacity crowd to the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

Sanderson, who returned to New Zealand from Finland in time to attend the Yachting New Zealand Excellence Awards, was presented the trophy by New Zealand’s first Olympic Sailing medallist, Jack Cropp. The 50th anniversary of the gold medal won by Jack Cropp and Peter Mander at Melbourne 1956 was also celebrated at last nights dinner.

Sanderson was one of seven finalist nominees for the Carlson Wagonlit Travel Sailor of the Year 2006. Competition was tough and the list included current World Champions in the Star class Hamish Pepper and Carl Williams, as well as board sailor Tom Ashley, who narrowly missed the RS:X World Championship title this year.

Carlson Wagonlit Travel Sailor of the Year 2006
Finalist Nominees

 Tom Ashley – Silver Medal RS:X World Championships 2006
 Carl Evans & Peter Burling – 420 World Champions 2006
 Anatole Masfen – Local, Coastal and Offshore Keelboat Sailing
 Hamish Pepper & Carl Williams - Star World Champions 2006
 Richard & John Power – 470 Masters World Champions 2006
 Mike Sanderson – ABN Amro One Skipper
 Dan Slater – Finn, Gold Medal Kiel Week 2006

Mike Sanderson was the outstanding leader of the brilliant ABN Amro campaign that won the Volvo Ocean Race earlier this year. Master of Ceremonies, Peter Montgomery described Sanderson’s achievements to the audience.

'The Volvo, formerly the Whitbread is considered one of the Worlds prime time keelboat sailing events,' noted Peter Montgomery, 'and Mike Sanderson’s ability as a leader was considered the key to this outstanding win that has had ABN Amro One’s dominance compared with a previous winner… Peter Blake, and the Steinlager II crew.'

'Mike Sanderson was involved in ALL of the campaign, from funding, to key decisions on design, critical preparation before the race and then showed outstanding leadership, responsible for two boats in this last Volvo.'

'This was Mike’s fourth Round the World race, he’s also been in two Americas Cup campaigns, and has established a reputation as one of the outstanding offshore sailors in the World. And wherever Mike Sanderson has gone, he has represented New Zealand and New Zealand sailing with honour and distinction on and off the water, but through the glitz and the glamour he has never forgotten that he is a boy from the Onerahi Yacht Club.'

Young Sailor of the Year 2006
Finalist Nominees

 Max Andrews – Winner Australian Youth Nationals 2006 Laser Class
 Matt Coutts - New Zealand Youth Laser representative
 Carl Evans & Peter Burling – 420 World Champions 2006
 Cushla Hume-Merry – Female Laser Radial Youth World Champion 2005
 Blair McLay – Laser Radial Youth World Champion 2005
 James Sandall – 5th Laser Radial Youth World & 7th Laser Radial Open World Championships 2006
 Blair Tuke – Splash World Champion 2006

Carl Evans of Kohimarama Yacht Club and Peter Burling of Tauranga were announced Young Sailor of the Year 2006. The pair of 15 years olds combined earlier this year to sail at the 420 World Championships in the Canary Islands. In a stunning victory, Evans and Burling won the regatta.

420 coaches Simon Cooke, Mat Brown and Richard Burling were also recognised at last nights Awards Ceremony receiving Merit Awards for their contribution to the 420 successes.

Sixteen Merit Awards were presented to individuals and teams with significant achievements in yachting over the last twelve months. It has been an incredible year; the Merit Award list including World Champions, Volvo Ocean Race sailors like Erle Williams and Mark Christensen, as well as local keelboat racers.

Twelve Waipara Hills Honour Awards were presented to recipients from across New Zealand. The Honour Award recognises long term service to yachting and the list included individuals from as far south as the Bluff Yacht Club and as far north as Taipa in Northland.


Merit Awards

 The New Zealand Sailors of ABN Amro One including Mike Sanderson (skipper), Brad Jackson (Watch Captain), Mark Christensen (Watch Captain), David Endean (Trimmer/Pitman), Tony Mutter (Helmsman/Trimmer)
 Jo Aleh – Laser Radial, Silver Medal Qingdao International Regatta 2006 (Pre-pre Olympics)
 Tom Ashley - Silver Medal RS:X World Championships 2006
 Simon Cooke & Matt Brown – Coaches of the New Zealand 420 team to the World Championships 2006
 Mark Christensen – First person to win three Volvo/Whitbread Races
 Carl Evans, Peter Burling & Richard Burling - 420 World Champions 2006 & coach
 Rohan Lord & Miles Addy - 6th at Star World Championships 2006
 Cushla Hume-Merry – Female Laser Radial Youth World Champion 2005
 Anatole Masfen - Local, Coastal and Offshore Keelboat Sailing
 Blair McLay – Laser Radial Youth World Champion 2005
 Andrew Murdoch – Laser, Bronze Medal Qingdao International Regatta 2006 (Pre-pre Olympics)
 New Zealand B2 Blind Sailing Crew including Paulien Eitjies, Dick Lancaster, Gary Smith & Scott Burling – Gold Medal IFDS Blind Sailing World Championships 2006
 Hamish Pepper & Carl Williams - Star World Champions 2006
 Richard & John Power – 470 Masters World Champions 2006
 Blair Tuke – Splash World Champion 2006
 Erle Williams – 25 years of Volvo/Whitbread sailing

Honour Awards

 Martin Balch – Otago Yacht Club
 John Bennett – Panmure Yacht & Boating Club
 Irv Bigwood - Bluff Yacht Club
 Fendall Halliburton – Royal Akarana Yacht Club
 Graeme & Lyn McCarty – Kerkikeri Cruising Club
 Garth & Murlyn McCombe – Marakura Yacht Club
 Fred Price - Royal Akarana Yacht Club
 Peter Robins – Evans Bay Yacht & Motorboat Club
 John Rountree – Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
 Peter Shanks – Waimakariri Sailing & Powerboat Club
 Tony Thompson - Bay of Plenty Trailer Yacht Squadron
 Bill Whitiskie – Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club


Background

The Yachting New Zealand Sailor of the Year Award and recipient of the Sir Bernard Fergusson Trophy began in 1963, with Harry Highet receiving the first prestigious award. The standard of recipients has continued on until the present day with previous winners including Olympic Gold medallist board-sailor Barbara Kendall and Aaron McIntosh, Team New Zealand, Sir Peter Blake, Brad Butterworth and Russell Coutts among other many outstanding yachtsmen and women.

The Young Sailor of the Year Award recognises our future champions while individuals of merit who have contributed to the sport as administrators, officials and cruising sailors are also recognised through Honour, Merit, and Cruising Awards.

The Awards are traditionally prese