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Winners revealed for photo competition

Published on December 9th, 2021

Paris, France (December 9, 2021) – The 12th edition of the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image contest awarded their top prize to French photographer Loïc Venance for his stern photo of French sailor Jeremie Beyou in the Vendée Globe (above), with the fan vote going to Patrick Condy (GBR) for his image of Alex Thomson’s Hugo Boss rounding the Fastnet Rock.

This annual photographic contest seeks to recognize the very best yacht racing image taken during the year which best represents the essence and excitement of yacht racing as a sport. The contest is open to professional yacht racing photographers from all over the world.

Patrick Condy (GBR)

Born in Paris in 1975, Venance studied photography at the Ecole de l’Image (Gobelins). He joined Agence France Presse (AFP) in 2001 and covered numerous subjects in France and abroad, including Lybia, Bolivia or Thailand. Venance started to work in sailing in 2016, covering offshore races such as the Vendée Globe, Route du Rhum or Transat Jacques Vabre.

Italian photographer Martina Orsini (ITA) is this year’s runner-up, ahead of Daniel Forster (SUI) in third.

Martina Orsini (ITA)

Daniel Forster (SUI)

Condy win of the Public Award, based on the number of public votes cast on the internet, had him ahead of two Hungarian photographers: Brigi Török and Jóka Gémesi.

Jóka Gémesi (HUN)

Brigi Török (HUN)

The contest had attracted 126 photographers spanning 24 nationalities, with images narrowed down to the top 80. The fan vote was based on these images while the judges – Jo Aleh (NZL), Gilles Martin-Raget (FRA), Glenn Ashby (AUS), Nicolas Mirabaud (SUI) and Anne-Cécile Turner (FRA) – reduced the field to the top twenty before selecting the award winner.

Editor’s note: It is slightly disturbing how the jury found a stern shot of a guy holding a phone to best represent the essence and excitement of yacht racing as a sport. This contest needs a wake-up call to fulfill its purpose as the world’s premier photography competition open to professional sailing photographers.

Top Twenty: