Three of the four finalists in the Young Sailor of the Year category of Yachting New Zealand's Yachting Excellence Awards for 2010 are Tauranga sailors:

Laura Hemingway, pictured here with her Splash Class World Championship trophy, is in the running for more accolade at the 2010 New Zealand Yachting Excellence Awards.

Laura Hemingway, Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club – Splash
Alex Maloney and Sam Bullock, Murrays Bay Sailing Club and Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club – 29er

Thomas Saunders, Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club – Laser

The other finalist is:

Chris Steele, Wakatere Boating Club – Splash

This award, as well as 10 Performance Awards, eight Service Awards, two Cruising Awards and the Emerging Talent Award will be presented at a gala dinner and presentation ceremony in Auckland on Friday, November 26.
Also to be awarded is the prestigious President's Award, which recognises work done to better the sport of yachting in New Zealand and may go to a yacht club, an individual or an organisation.

Last year the Award went to the Team New Zealand 2000 Trust, and this year the President's Award will be an eagerly anticipated announcement on the night.

As a grand finale, one winner will be selected from any category to be named Singapore Airlines Sailor of the Year for 2010, and presented with the Sir Bernard Fergusson Trophy.
Tauranga young sailors also feature in the Performance Awards.
Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club and Kerikeri Cruising Club – Olympic class 49er.
Thomas Saunders, Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club – Laser Youth
Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie, RNZYS – Olympic class Women's 470
Blackmatch Racing, RNZYS - World Match Racing Tour
Neville Crichton, RNZYS – Offshore Yacht racing
Scott Leith, Pupuke Boating Club – Masters Laser Radial
Andrew Murdoch, Kerikeri Cruising Club – Olympic class Laser
Karl Purdie, Worser Bay Boating Club – OK Dinghy
Chris Steele, Wakatere Boating Club – Splash class
Sara Winther, Takapuna Boating Club – Olympic class Laser Radial

Coach/Official of the Year 2010
In this category, new to the Awards in 2010, a New Zealand sailing coach or a sailing race official will be recognised for their work and achievements over the last 12 months and their career before that.
Four people have been named as finalists in the inaugural Yachting New Zealand Coach/Official of the Year Award, each coming from a different corner of the yachting sphere.
Harold Bennett, Murrays Bay Sailing and RNZYS
Nathan Handley, Takapuna Boating Club
John Morgan, Sandspit Yacht Club
Guy Pilkington, RNZYS

Service Awards 2010
Recognising exemplary and selfless service to yachting, the Yachting New Zealand Service Awards are a highlight in the evening's programme. Often going without recognition these are the people who make our sport tick, and it's a delight to see them rewarded.

Eight Yachting New Zealand Service Awards will be presented in 2010.
Alexander Aitken, Waimakariri Sailing & Powerboat Club
Warren Belk, Tauranga Yacht & Powerboat Club
Des Brennan, Akaroa Sailing Club
Roger Kitchen, Torbay Sailing Club
Jim Lott, Cruising & Navigation Association NZ
Ross Munro, RNZYS
Sarah and Sefton Powrie, RNZYS
Doug Smeal, Whangarei Cruising Club and Onerahi Yacht Club

Cruising Awards 2010
Two Yachting New Zealand Cruising Awards will be presented in 2010. The Cruising Award recognises an outstanding non-competitive voyage or cruise, or services to this area of yachting.
Graeme Kendall, RNZYS – First person to sail the Arctic North West Passage solo non-stop
Phillip Zweiss, Bluff Yacht Club – Global circumnavigation on Caval, his Cavalier 32 (Solo passages)