Nominations open for 2015 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year

Published on July 20th, 2015

(July 20, 2015) – The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) and Rolex have opened nominations for the 2015 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards, the most prestigious award of recognition in the sport of sailing.

First presented in 1994, the nominees and winners have always included the highest achievers from all disciplines of sailing. From record breaking passages, exceptional performances or a triumph against the odds, the Awards celebrate inspiring individuals and outstanding teamwork each year.

Nominations can be made by anyone and the only criterion for sailors is “outstanding achievement in the sport of sailing” during the qualifying period of 1 September 2014 and 31 August 2015.

Nominations should be sent to ISAF by 19:00 UTC on 2 September 2015 using the Official Nomination Form, available here.

A shortlist of nominations will be drawn up by ISAF from all those received by the deadline and those making the cut will go on to become the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2015 Nominees.

The winners will be announced at the Awards dinner on November 10 in Sanya, China the host city for the 2015 ISAF Annual Conference.

Past Winners
2014 James Spithill (AUS), Martine Grael & Kahena Kunze (BRA)
2013 Mat Belcher (AUS), Jo Aleh & Polly Powrie (NZL)
2012 Ben Ainslie (GBR), Lijia Xu (CHN)
2011 Iker Martinez & Xabier Fernandez (ESP), Anna Tunnicliffe (USA)
2010 Tom Slingsby (AUS), Blanca Manchon (ESP)
2009 Torben Grael (BRA), Anna Tunnicliffe (USA)
2008 Ben Ainslie (GBR), Alessandra Sensini (ITA)
2007 Ed Baird (USA), Claire Leroy (FRA)
2006 Mike Sanderson (NZL), Paige Railey (USA)
2005 Fernando Echavarri & Anton Paz (ESP), Ellen MacArthur (GBR)
2004 Robert Scheidt (BRA), Sofia Bekatorou & Emilia Tsoulfa (GRE)
2003 Russell Coutts (SUI), Siren Sundby (NOR)
2002 Ben Ainslie (GBR), Sofia Bekatorou & Emilia Tsoulfa (GRE)
2001 Robert Scheidt (BRA), Ellen MacArthur (GBR)
2000 Mark Reynolds & Magnus Liljedahl (USA), Shirley Robertson (GBR)
1999 Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL), Margriet Matthijse (NED)
1998 Ben Ainslie (GBR), Carolijn Brouwer (NED)
1997 Pete Goss (GBR), Ruslana Taran & Elena Pakholchik (UKR)
1996 Jochen Schümann (GER), Lai Shan Lee (HKG)
1995 Russell Coutts (NZL), Isabelle Autissier (FRA)
1994 Peter Blake (NZL) & Robin Knox-Johnston (GBR), Theresa Zabell (ESP)