William McKenzie

EVENT: Sailing - Men's Skiff 49er

Like many Kiwi kids, Will McKenzie started sailing in an Optimist and competed in the 2012 Optimist World Championships in the Dominican Republic. He also finished third in the Sirena SL16 class at the Youth World Championships in 2015, shortly before joining Isaac McHardie in the 49er.

Paris 2024 marked McKenzie’s first Olympic Games, where the pair clinched the men's skiff (49er) silver medal in the waters off Marseille.

The duo had a strong 2023, winning bronze at the Princess Sofia Regatta and the European Championships, along with top-six finishes at the Olympic Test Event, French Olympic Week Regatta, and the Sailing World Championships.

In the final double-points medal race, the New Zealanders sailed conservatively. They started in third place with 76 points and couldn’t catch Spain, who led with 66 points and hardly put a foot wrong. However, finishing third was enough to secure the silver medal.

Throughout the regatta, McHardie and McKenzie recorded placings of 1, 3, 8, 8, 1, 1, 11, 18, 17, 1, 10, 15, and 3.

The pair have established themselves as one of the top 49er crews in New Zealand and the world.