Photo contest pivots amid pandemic

The 2020 Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image contest, which was to be the eleventh edition of this international photo competition which highlights the best images from the year, has revised its traditional plan as the international health crisis impacts the sport of sailing.

“With rare exceptions, 2020 will be a blank year,” said Bernard Schopfer, the organizer of the award. “Due to the global pandemic, there won’t be any regattas and yacht racing photographers struggle to do their job; it’s a sad reality. We have therefore decided to organize an exceptional edition of the contest and consulted some of the most renowned photographers in the industry to determine the best format for our contest.”

The result is the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image of the Century; an event that aims to celebrate the best sailing photos taken since January 1, 2000.

“This unique contest is a great opportunity to give a second life to exceptional images, and to position them in the context of the 21st century,” says Nicolas Mirabaud, Managing Partner of the Mirabaud Group. “I am looking forward to discovering the images and how they reflect the spectacular evolution of the sport of sailing over the last twenty years.”

Professional marine photographers are invited to submit the image of their choice, taken between January 1, 2000 and October 6, 2020.

The pictures submitted must have been taken during regattas (including the start procedure and the minutes following the arrival line crossing). The subject of the contest is boat racing in all its forms, from classic yachts to top-end racers, including multihulls, dinghies, windsurfing, and kitesurfing. Only photos that have not yet been submitted for the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image award will be accepted.

The contest will present three awards:
• The ‘Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image’ (main prize), awarded by a panel of international specialists from the yacht racing and photographic industries.

• The ‘public prize’, selected by the number of popular votes on Internet.

• The ‘Yacht Racing Forum Award’, decided by the delegates of the 2020 Yacht Racing Forum.

The award ceremony will take place on November 24 during the 2020 Yacht Racing Forum in Portsmouth, UK. For detailed rules of the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image of the Century, click here.

A revision to the 2020 Mirabaud Sailing Video Award will also be announced shortly.

Editor’s note: How soon will the Sail Canada Rolex Sailor of the Year Awards, US Sailing Rolex Yachtsman & Yachtswoman of the Year Awards, and Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards also need to pivot in 2020? The big winner this year could be Rolex.