Online voting for World Sailing Awards

The World Sailing Awards 2021 – celebrating the outstanding achievements and exceptional contributions to sailing – is now open for online voting (click here). Public voting closes at 1500 UTC on December 2, after which this year’s winners will be revealed that day on the World Sailing Awards 2021 online show.

Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards
A total of 13 athletes – including Olympic medallists, major offshore series winners, a kite world champion and new around the world record setter- have been shortlisted for their achievements between September 1, 2019 and August 31, 2021.

World Sailing’s 146 Member National Associations and its 119 Classes have nominated a record number of 39 athletes representing a total of 19 nations from across the entire discipline spectrum for the Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards 2021.

These nominations have been shortlisted by an expert panel including five former World Sailing Award winners – Jo Aleh (NZL), Theresa Zabell (ESP), Santiago Lange (ARG), Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL) and Shirley Robertson (GBR) – alongside Dee Caffari (GBR), Craig Leweck (USA), Yann Rocherieux (FRA) and Luca Rizzotti (ITA). The panel and public vote will decide the winners.

Female Nominees:
• Annie-Marie Rindom (DEN)
• Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze (BRA)
• Hannah Mills and Eilidh McIntyre (GBR)
• Clarisse Cremer (FRA)
• Daniela Moroz (USA)

Male Nominees:
• Peter Burling and Blair Tuke (NZL)
• Tom Slingsby (AUS)
• Yannick Bestaven (FRA)
• Kiran Badloe (NED)
• Giles Scott (GBR)

To read their accomplishments, click here.

World Sailing 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award
World Sailing and 11th Hour Racing joined forces in 2018 to celebrate the delivery of high impact and replicable sustainability within the maritime industry aligned to World Sailing’s Sustainability Agenda 2030.

One of the four projects shortlisted will win the 10,000 USD prize to fund their continued sustainability efforts and the iconic trophy made from recycled carbon fibre from an America’s Cup boat infused with bio resin.

“The four finalists for the Award represent the incredible breadth of 2021 applicants,” said Todd McGuire, managing director, 11th Hour Racing. “I am enthusiastic for the future of our sport to see the variety of sustainability initiatives from working to increase diversity in sailing to removing the barriers to entry along with classes, design initiatives, and research and development working towards a circular economy.”

Four Finalists:
• Sail Africa Youth Development Foundation
• Foiling SuMoth Challenge
• International Optimist Dinghy Association
• Northern Light Srl

For more detail, click here.

To cast your vote, click here.

Previous recipients of the Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award:
2019 Marco Gradoni (ITA), Anne-Marie Rindom (DEN)
2018 Pavlos Kontides (CYP), Carolijn Brouwer (NED) / Marie Riou (FRA)
2017 Peter Burling (NZL), Marit Bouwmeester (NED)
2016 Santiago Lange (ARG), Hannah Mills & Saskia Clark (GBR).
2015 Peter Burling & Blair Tuke (NZL), Sarah Ayton (GBR)
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)