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New Zealand Erica Dawson is a New Zealand Olympic sailor who has transitioned from successful junior and youth sailing to becoming a bronze medalist in the Nacra 17 class.
This partnership blossomed into a successful collaboration, leading them to represent New Zealand at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Zhik is continuing its long-term association with some of the world's best sailing athletes by announcing the brand as the official supplier. Zhik also partners with Live Ocean Racing ETF26 Team, with Erica Dawson benefitting from their support.
The talented lineup of Kiwi women includes Jo Aleh, Molly Meech, Erica Dawson and Alex Maloney, all who have benefited from Zhik's support in their Olympic endeavors. She's also sailed and worked with Live Ocean for other projects.
Zhik partners with New Zealand SailGP Team as Official Supplier. Erica Dawson is an athlete for the New Zealand SailGP Team. Sail Racing has also been appointed the official technical clothing partner for the New Zealand SailGP Team, with Erica Dawson listed as an athlete.
New Zealand will be Liv Mackay and Jo Aleh on the helms, with Molly Meech and Gemma Jones trimming the AC40 and Erica Dawson as back up sailor.
Erica Dawson was born in Auckland in 1994 and developed an early interest in sailing, beginning her training at Murrays Bay. Dawson demonstrated significant potential during her junior and youth career, becoming the only female sailor to win the Starling National Championships. Her early competitive experience also included participating in the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships, where she placed fifth in the girls’ 420 event alongside Ellie Copeland. She continued her progression into the 49er FX class, making her debut at the 2014 49er & 49er FX European Championships, achieving 28th place with Copeland.
In 2019, Dawson shifted to the Nacra 17 class, initially helming before swapping roles with Micah Wilkinson to become crew. This partnership quickly yielded results, with the duo finishing 7th at the 2020 Nacra 17 World Championship in Melbourne. Their consistent performance led to their selection for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where they placed 12th. Despite an injury—a broken fibula sustained during training in June 2021—Dawson returned to competition. In 2022, she and Wilkinson earned a second-place finish at the Nacra 17 European Championship in Aarhus and a 9th place at the Nacra 17 World Championship in Halifax. The culmination of their efforts came at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where Dawson and Wilkinson secured a bronze medal in the mixed multihull Nacra 17, marking New Zealand’s second sailing medal of the games.
Beyond Olympic success, Dawson has also engaged with other high-profile sailing circuits. In 2021, she was selected for the New Zealand SailGP Team, serving as a strategist in the SailGP series. She has also been involved with Live Ocean Racing ETF26 Team, contributing to various projects aimed at environmental protection and ocean conservation.
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