Tauranga sailors Peter Burling and Sam Meech are finalists in their category at the Yachting Excellence Awards.

The pair are members of the Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club and are in the Young Sailor of the Year category.

Peter Burling and Sam Meech.

As well as being finalists in this category, their efforts have already been recognised with the presentation of performance awards.

These recognise their efforts this year, Peter's in the 49er class and Sam's in the Laser class.

The Young Sailor of the Year award is the junior category to the 2011 Singapore Airlines Sailor of the Year, with the awards ceremony to be held on October 28.

The gala dinner and ceremony is being held at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland.
The historic Sir Bernard Fergusson Trophy, engraved with a long list of New Zealand's big names in yachting, will be presented there too.
'This year's gala dinner is shaping up to be an exciting event,” says Yachting New Zealand chief executive David Abercrombie.

'It's terrific to see the sport's hard workers and high achievers rewarded for their efforts, they deserve to be congratulated.”

2011 Excellence Awards Awardees and Category Finalists

2011 Performance Awards
Jon-Paul Tobin, Takapuna Boating Club
Sara Winther, Takapuna Boating Club
Andrew Murdoch, Kerikeri Cruising Club
Sam Meech, Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club
Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie, Takapuna Boating Club
Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club and Kerikeri Cruising Club
Scott Leith, Pupuke Boating Club
Waka Racing, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
Taylor Burn, Queen Charlotte Yacht Club
Bianca Barbarich-Bacher, Murrays Bay Sailing Club

2011 Young Sailor of the Year Finalists
In association with Orbit Travel, Auckland
Sam Meech, Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club
Peter Burling, Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club
Taylor Burn, Queen Charlotte Yacht Club
Alexandra Maloney, Murrays Bay Sailing Club
2011 Emerging Talent Award Winner
Leonard Takahashi-Fry, Murrays Bay Sailing Club

2011 Service Awards
Phil Galloway, Mount Pleasant Yacht Club
Katy and Mark Kenah, Napier Sailing Club
David Whytock, Timaru Yacht & Powerboat Club
Mark Mulcare, Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
Ted Frankham, Wakatere Boating Club
Alan Garbutt, Ravensbourne Boating Club
Stuart Burrough, Queen Charlotte Yacht Club
Gerald Flynn, Peter McKeogh and Neil Harris, RNZYS
Tim Sandall, Napier Sailing Club
Alan Poore, Charteris Bay Yacht Club

2011 Coach/Official of the Year Finalists
In association with Orbit Travel, Auckland
Charles Baillie-Strong, Wakatere Boating Club
John Bullot, Murrays Bay Sailing Club
Bob McDavitt, Cruising and Navigation Association of New Zealand
Chris Steele, Wakatere Boating Club

2011 Cruising Awards
TS Talisman, New Zealand Cadet Forces
Danny and Yvonne Simms, Mangonui Cruising Club