George Lee Rush (18) & Seb Menzies (18)

Sailors

Promising local North Shore sailors George Lee Rush (ex-Westlake Boys) and Seb Menzies (ex-Rangitoto College) each receive an AIMES Scholarship for 2023. They have both previously been recognised by the North Harbour Club with AIMES Junior Excellence Awards in 2018/2019.

In November 2021, the duo teamed up in the 29er skiff class. They had been friends since sailing the Optimist class at National and International level (both were in the NZL Optimist team for several years). They've won over 20 National titles and several International titles between them in 8 different classes. They also compete in the 49erFX class. George sails out of the Wakatere Boat Club and Seb the Murrays Bay Sailing Club.

In their first domestic NZ season they managed to win all 29er regattas, including the NZ Nationals Championships, the Yachting NZ Oceanbridge Youth Trials (winning the NZ representative spot for the Youth World Sailing Championships), the Auckland Championships and the Auckland Anniversary Regatta. In a number of the regattas including the Youth Trials they won the majority of the races.

In mid 2022 they headed off on a two month European tour, the first opportunity to test themselves against international competition. They sailed a total of 56 races, winning 26 of them. They travelled through nine countries and competed in four regattas, achieving the following results:- 1st Overall 49erFX Junior World Championships, Lake Como, Italy; 1st Overall Kiel Week/29er Euro Cup Kiel, Germany (the largest dingy regatta in the World); 1st Overall 29er European Championships, Rungsted, Denmark; 3rd Overall Youth World Sailing Championships, The Hague, Netherlands.

George and Seb have received the following awards: Yachting NZ Excellence Award; Yachting NZ Young Sailors of the Year Award; Overall Sportsman of the Year at their respective Schools (both, individually); Finalist (one of 5) for College Sport Young Sportsperson of the Year; Harbour Sports Junior Team of the Year

On the basis of their results, they decided to take a gap year in 2023 (final school year), to concentrate on sailing full-time. They are part of Yachting New Zealand’s Fast Track Squad which involves gym work at the AUT Millennium – training, coaching, campaign planning and travelling to/competing in regattas for the whole of 2023, with support from Yachting NZ and High Performance Sport NZ.

They are planning a very extensive European sailing campaign in 2023, involving three separate trips and totalling over 130 days overseas. Scholarship funds will be used towards their overall sailing costs.

George Lee Rush and Seb Menzies each receive a North Harbour Club AIMES Scholarship Award, sponsored by Vantage Windows & Doors North Shore, and a cash grant of $3,000 each.