Top Twenty Selected for Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image 2016

The latest round of judging has narrowed the field for the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image 2016, a contest started in 2010 to provide an opportunity for professional yacht racing photographers to share their passion for yacht racing with a wide community. It is the world’s premier photography competition dedicated to the sport of sailing.

After 149 professional photographers from 25 different countries submitted entries by the October 13 deadline, their best 80 shots were preselected by a panel of three world class sailing photographers – Rick Tomlinson, Christian Février and Eric Brin.

Now the international jury has selected the top 20 pictures which are eligible for the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image Award and the Yacht Racing Forum Award. The Public Award will still be based on the previously released 80 images with online voting until November 20.

Top twenty photographers (in alphabetical order):
• Eugenia Bakunova (RUS)
• Christian Beeck (GER)
• Matias Capizzano (ITA)
• Rachel Fallon-Langdon (UK)
• Luis Fernandez (SPA)
• Richard Gladwell (NZL)
• Alex Irwin (UK)
• Pierrick Jeannoutot (FRA)
• Jean-Marie Liot (FRA)
• Mark Lloyd (UK)
• Gilles Martin-Raget (FRA)
• Nico Martinez (SPA)
• Pedro Martinez (SPA)
• Claire Matches (UK)
• Mauro Melandri (ITA)
• Guy Nowell (UK)
• Benoit Stichelbaut (FRA)
• Tim Thomas (UK)
• James Tomlinson (UK)
• Jasper Van-Staveren (NED)

Top 20 Images:

The top 20 pictures will be put forth to the delegates at World Sailing’s annual conference to vote for their favorite picture. Their votes will be added to the voices from the delegates of the Yacht Racing Forum (Malta, November 28-29), and will contribute to the election of the winner of the Yacht Racing Forum award.

The images were all taken between November 1, 2015 and October 13, 2016.

Three prizes will be awarded on November 29, at the Yacht Racing Forum in Malta:
– The main prize is the ‘Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image’, selected by the international jury: Andy Hunt (World Sailing CEO, UK), Keith Taylor (marine writer, editor and marine publicist, NZL), Antonio Palma (CEO, Mirabaud & Cie SA, SUI), Anna-Lena Elled (yachting journalist and picture editor, SWE), and Ian Walker (pro sailor, UK, winner of the Volvo Ocean Race)

– The ‘Yacht Racing Forum Award’, decided by the 700 delegates of World Sailing’s Annual conference and the 300 delegates of the Yacht Racing Forum.

– The ‘Public Award’ is based on the number of votes on Internet. This is a fun award, aimed at increasing the visibility of both the photographers and the entire contest. Photographers are encouraged to like and share pictures, and to do as much self-promotion as they like. This prizes recognizes the quality of the winning picture as well as the photographers’ network and the support he (she) can generate around him and his/her photograph.

Top 80 Images:

Source: MaxComm Communication