Winners revealed for photo competition

Spanish photographer Nico Martinez was named the winner of the 2022 Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image award with his photo taken during the 2022 TP52 World Championship in Cascais, Portugal.

“The TP52 fleet was sailing downwind, with a light breeze and in a very special light,” recalls Martinez. “It wasn’t a very productive day, not the typical Cascais day with wind and good light.

“Then I saw the composition of the five TP52s and told my driver to stop. We looked for the ideal frame for the shot. Later, when I loaded the photos onto my computer, I wasn’t convinced, so I put it in black and white and the magic happened. As soon as I saw it, I said that’s the picture.”

© Nico Martinez

The six members of the international jury based their voting on the emotion evoked by the image, its technical difficulty, and its originality.

Martinez has been a professional yacht racing photographer since 1990. He has been the official photographer of the Spanish challengers in the 1995, 2000, and 2007 America’s Cup, and is the official photographer of the TP52 and RC44 circuits.

German photographer Eike Schurr came second with an image on board the VO65 The Austrian Ocean Race Project during a training crossing of the Atlantic between St. Maarten and the Azores. Finland’s Patrick Blom came third with his photo from the Viaporintuoppi regatta for traditional sailing yachts.

The Public Award, based on the number of public votes cast on the internet, was won by Brigi Török with her picture of the Libera Raffica competing in the Bol d’Or Mirabaud, ahead of Tom Coehoorn (NED) and Felix Diemer (GER).

© Brigi Török

The Delegates Award, based on votes from delegates at the 2022 Yacht Racing Forum and 2022 World Sailing’s Annual Conference, was won by Nico Martinez ahead of Eike Schurr, and Martina Orsini.

Entries from 150 photographers spanning 29 nationalities were submitted for the 14th edition of the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image Award.