ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2009

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ISAF AND ROLEX ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE
THE NOMINEES FOR THE ISAF ROLEX WORLD
SAILOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2009

September 28, 2009

ISAF received nominations for the 2009 Awards from across the world for sailors representing all aspects of the sport. In deciding the nominees, the achievements of sailors made during the qualifying period of 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009 are taken into consideration. There can be only one winner in each of the two categories, male and female, and we are delighted to announce the names of those sailors now vying for the coveted and prestigious 2009 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award.

The 2009 nominees are:

Female
Sam Davies (GBR)
Hilary Lister (GBR)
Blanca Manchón (ESP)
Anna Tunnicliffe (USA)

Male
Pascal Bidégorry (FRA)
Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA)
Paul Goodison (GBR)
Torben Grael (BRA)
Nathan Outteridge (AUS)

The achievements of the 2009 Nominees are:

Female Nominees

Sam Davies (GBR)

Thirty boats crossed the start line of the 2008-2009 Vendée Globe but only 11 completed the gruelling round the world race. One of those was 34-year-old Sam Davies aboard her IMOCA 60 Roxy. After 95 days, 4 hours, 39 minutes and 1 second, Davies was the third sailor to cross the finish line at Les Sables d’Olonne after sailing an epic 27,420 miles. (Davies missed out on the podium by just over one hour following the time compensation given to Marc Guillemot for diverting to assist in the evacuation of an injured competitor.)

Sam Davies has been deeply involved on the professional offshore sailing scene for many years. Perfectly at ease at sea, she took on her first Vendée Globe with relish and stole the hearts of sailing fans the world over through her daily video, photo and journal reporting. The extreme hardships of the race place enormous demands on the skippers and Davies demonstrated prudence when required but also a steely determination to attack the race course. Davies was one of the few sailors who covered more than 400 miles in one day and on 18 December she diverted her course to go to the aid of fellow competitor Yann Eliès who had suffered a broken leg.

Since finishing the Vendée Globe, Davies has teamed up with rival skipper Dee Caffari and an all girl crew to claim the Round Britain and Ireland monohull record aboard Aviva in 6 days and 11 hours. She has also joined the Artemis Ocean Racing team and faced her first test as skipper in the notorious Rolex Fastnet Race. Leading the IMOCA 60 fleet around the Rock, Davies and crew were narrowly beaten to second place.

IMOCA 60 – Roxy (skipper – solo)
4 – 2008-2009 Vendée Globe – Roxy – 95 days, 4 hours 39 mins and 1 second, average speed 12 knots, distance 27,470.2nm – Nov 2008-Feb 2009

IMOCA 60 – Aviva (crew)
Round Britain and Ireland Record, Monohull, Women – 6 days, 11 hours, 30 minutes & 53 seconds – Aviva skippered by Dee Caffari with 2 other crew – average speed 11.5 knots – distance 1,787 nm – 15-22 Jun 2009

IMOCA 60 – Artemis Ocean Racing (co-skipper, crewed)
4 – Artemis Challenge, Round the Isle of Wight, GBR – Aug 2009
2 – Rolex Fastnet Race, IMOCA 60 fleet, GBR – Aug 2009

Hilary Lister (GBR)

The achievement of Hilary Lister is inspirational. Diagnosed with a degenerative disease at the age of 11, Lister was confined to a wheelchair when she was 15. She is now a quadriplegic, only able to move her head, mouth and eyes. When she was introduced to sailing in 2003 she was given a new lease of life and her passion for the sport developed quickly. In 2005 she sailed solo across the English Channel, in 2007 circumavigated the Isle of Wight and the Round Britain challenge was a dream in the making.

On 31 August 2009 Lister’s dream was reality when she became the first disabled woman to sail solo around Britain. Lister began her record attempt in June 2008 but had to suspend her sail due to bad weather and technical issues. In May 2009 Lister resumed from Plymouth, sailing clockwise before returning home to Dover in August. Lister’s journey was a series of day sails of between 30 and 50 miles and with over 40 stops the team were able to showcase the adventure and raise awareness of disabled sailing along the way.

Lister sails her Artemis 20 using a ‘sip and puff’ system of tubes to control the steering and sails. Seated in a custom seating module that maintains her body position and comfort, Lister controls everything, including setting the sails and steering the boat, with her breath.

Artemis 20 (solo) Clockwise Circumnavigation of Britain – May-Aug 2009

Blanca Manchón (ESP)

There is tough competition amongst the Spanish RS:X sailors and Blanca Manchón has demonstrated her style with a podium finish at all of the events she has entered this year.

The ISAF Sailing World Cup kicked off in Melbourne, Australia in December 2008 and Manchón laid down an early marker of her intent with an emphatic victory, picking up seven race wins from the eleven race series to win the gold medal.

As the tour moved on to Miami, Manchón claimed the bronze medal before a trip to Buzios, Brazil for the RS:X South American Championship where she picked up another bronze medal. Returning to the World Cup series for its third event in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Manchón was back on the top of the podium. Her performance in Palma, with six race wins, also secured her the ‘Absolute Winner’ trophy, presented to the sailor with the best results across all the classes.

A bronze medal in Hyères was quickly followed up by another gold at the fifth event of the ISAF Sailing World Cup, the Delta Lloyd Regatta in Medemblik. The next event for the RS:X fleet was the European Championship in Israel and here Manchón dominated from day one. Leading the event from the outset, the gold only slipped away from her as heatstroke took hold, affecting her results. Advised by doctors not to sail she refused to be defeated, just needing to finish the last race to secure the silver.

With five events of the ISAF Sailing World Cup, Manchón had achieved a fantastic 96 points from a possible 100 and had extended an almost unbeatable 34 point lead.

RS:X
1 – Sail Melbourne, Melbourne, AUS – ISAF Grade 1 – Dec 2008
3 – US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR, Miami, USA – ISAF Grade 1 – Jan 2009
3 – RS:X South American Championships, Buzios, BRA – ISAF Grade C1 – Mar 2009
1 – Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia MAPFRE, Palma de Majorca, ESP – ISAF Grade 2 – Apr 2009
3 – Semaine Olympique Française, Hyères, FRA – ISAF Grade 1 – Apr 2009
1 – Delta Lloyd Regatta, Medemblik, NED – ISAF Grade 1 – May 2009
2 – RS:X European Championship, Tel Aviv, ISR – ISAF Grade C1 – Jun 2009

Anna Tunnicliffe (USA)

Anna Tunnicliffe is an athlete of the highest order and a world class ambassador for sailing. The depth of her talent is illustrated by her success in a variety of boats and disciplines. Since winning the gold medal in the Laser Radial at the Beijing Olympics, Tunnicliffe has succesfully combined the one-person Laser Radial with match racing in her training and competition schedule. Tunnicliffe’s first event after her Olympic win was the US Women’s Match Racing Championship. Victory in Rochester qualififed Tunnicliffe and her team to represent the USA at the ISAF Nations Cup Regional Final where they picked up another victory. Between these events, Tunnicliffe switched disciplines and headed to Spain for the Snipe Women’s World Championship where she finished second overall.

After winning the gold medal at the Laser Radial North Americans and silver at the Laser Midwinters east, Tunnicliffe was back on the match racing scene, competing at the ISAF Nations Cup Final in Porte Alegre, Brazil. The team won the bronze medal.

Back in the Laser Radial, Tunnicliffe set out to win the inaugural ISAF Sailing World Cup. In December she got off to a flying start in Melbourne clinching her first victory and since then she has not looked back. Two more gold medals in Miami and Hyères, bronze in Kiel and no result lower than sixth, Tunnicliffe had set herself up with an unassailable lead in the overall standings.

Laser Radial
1 – Sail Melbourne International Regatta, Melbourne, AUS – ISAF Grade 1 – Dec 2008
1 – US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR, Miami, USA – ISAF Grade 1 – Jan 2009
1 – Women’s Laser Radial North American Championship, Florida, USA – ISAF Grade 1 – Feb 2009
2 – Laser Midwinters East, Clearwater, USA – ISAF Grade 1 – Feb 2009
6 – Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia MAPFRE, Palma de Majorca, ESP – ISAF Grade 2 – Apr 2009
1 – Semaine Olympique Française, Hyères, FRA – ISAF Grade 1 – Apr 2009
5 – Delta Lloyd Regatta, Medemblik, NED – ISAF Grade 1 – May 2009
3 – Kieler Woche, Kiel, GER – ISAF Grade 1 – Jun 2009
3 – Laser Radial Women’s World Championship, Karatsu, JPN – ISAF Grade W – Aug 2009

Snipe
2 – Snipe Women’s World Championship, Roquetas al Mar, ESP – Sep 2008

Match Racing
1 – US Women’s Match Racing Championship, Rochester, USA – ISAF Grade 3 – Sep 2008
1 – ISAF Nations Cup Regional Final (N America & Caribbean), Charleston, USA – ISAF Grade 2 – Nov 2008
3 – Carlos Aguilar Memorial Match Race, St Thomas, ISV – ISAF Grade 3 – Dec 2008
3 – ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final, Porte Alegre, BRA – ISAF Grade 1 – Mar 2009
1 – NYYC Women’s Match Racing Regatta, New York, USA – ISAF Grade 2 – May 2009
6 – Knickerbocker Cup, Manhasset Bay, USA – ISAF Grade 2 – Aug 2009

Male Nominees

Pascal Bidégorry (FRA)

Pascal Bidégorry and his crew of Banque Populaire V made history in 2009 by setting an incredible new benchmark time on the transatlantic record. Less than a year after its launch, the word’s biggest ocean racing trimaran at 131 feet smashed the transatlantic record, taking a phenomenal 12 hours off the previous record held by fellow record hunter Franck Cammas and Groupama 3 since 2007.

Cammas was also on the prowl for a new record and set off from New York two hours earlier than Bidégorry, setting the scene for a real race between the world’s fastest oceanic multihulls. On 31 July, Groupama 3 reported a new 24 hour record of 841 miles but Banque Populaire V took this further still, recording first 880 miles and then an astounding 908 nautical miles in 24 hours. Sailing at an average speed of 37.84 knots, Bidégorry’s new 24 hour record, added more than 100 miles to the existing record, also held by Cammas.

On 2 August, the transatlantic record was also in the hands of Bidégorry. Banque Populaire V had completed the 2,880 nautical mile journey at an average speed of 32.94 knots. Consistently sailing above 40 knots, Banque Populaire V reached a peak speed of 47.15 knots and covered the distance between New York and the Lizard Point in just 3 days, 15 hour, 25 minutes and 48 seconds.

Maxi Trimaran – Banque Populaire V (skipper – 11 crew)
Transatlantic Outright Record – 3 days, 15 hours, 25 minutes & 48 seconds, average speed 32.94 knots, distance 2,880nm – Jul-Aug 2009
24 Hour Outright – 908.2nm, average speed 37.84 knots – 31 Jul-1 Aug 2009

Décision 35 – Banque Populaire – (skipper – 5 crew)
Challenge Julius Baer – SUI
11 – Grand Prix Corum – Apr 2009
5 – Genève – Rolle – Genève – Jun 2009
5 – Bol d’Or Mirabaud – Jun 2009
2 – l’Open de Nyon – Aug 2009

Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA)

To win the Vendée Globe once is an incredible achievement but to do so twice is simply outstanding. After a spell on the giant trimaran circuit, ‘Le Professeur’ Michel Desjoyeaux, returned to monohulls and the event that made his name eight years ago.

Low cloud and boiling seas welcomed the 30 solo sailors on 9 November 2008 and Desjoyeaux set the tone, utilising the maximum sail configuration to make early headway with the wind on the nose. However, less than 12 hours into the race, disaster struck and Desjoyeaux was forced to turn back and return to port because a leaking ballast tank cover had gradually flooded his engine compartment causing electrical problems. A lightning pit stop by the shore crew and Desjoyeaux was back on the race course with a 360 mile, 41 hour deficit on the leaders. Suffering from a different weather pattern to the leaders, the deficit increased to 670 miles before Desjoyeaux began to claw back the miles. After one month of racing he was up to sixth position and less than 100 miles from the leading boat.

On 16 December there was a double celebration. After a peak speed of 30.44 knots, Desjoyeaux covered 466.6 miles in 24 hours and in the same day took the overall lead in the race. Shortly after the New Year, on 5 January 2009, Desjoyeaux rounded Cape Horn in squalls of 35-40 knots, with his advantage extended to over 100 miles. From then, there was no stopping this incredible talent. Sailing more than 28,000 miles at an average speed of 13.2 knots, Desjoyeaux arrived back in Les Sables d’Olonne on 1 February, shattering the race record by 3 days, 7 hours and 39 seconds and once again standing on top of the podium.

IMOCA 60 – Foncia (solo)
1 – 2008-2009 Vendée Globe – 84 days, 3 hours, 9 minutes & 8 seconds, average speed 13.2 knots, distance 28,000nm – Nov 2008-Feb 2009

IMOCA 60 – Foncia (crew)
2 – Record SNSM, Saint Nazaire, FRA – Jun 2009
2 – Grand Prix Petit Navire, FRA – May 2009

Figaro – Foncia (solo)
5 – Solitaire du Figaro, FRA – Aug 2009

Décision 35 – Foncia (crew)
1 – Bol d’Or Mirabaud 2009, FRA – June 2009

Paul Goodison (GBR)

Paul Goodison took a break after winning the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games but since his return to the Laser he has been unbeatable. In April 2009 the ISAF Sailing World Cup rolled into Hyères for the fourth event, Semaine Olympique Française and Goodison staked an early claim, taking the lead on day two and consolidating to win the gold medal. Onto to Medemblik for the Delta Lloyd Regatta and then to Kieler Woche, Goodison was unstoppable, topping the podium at each of them, claiming the overall trophy in Kiel for wining every race and returning to the #1 position on the ISAF World Rankings.

Goodison then turned his attention to the Laser European Championship in Sweden and true to form was on top of the podium again, with his fifth consecutive European title. The final event to count for Goodison was the Laser Worlds in Halifax, Canada and despite the tricky conditions courtesy of Hurricane Bill and an early setback when his toe strap snapped in the opening race, he kept his cool. When the championship reached its final, decisive races in the gold fleet, Goodison blazed into the lead and his consistent results throughout the championship gave him a long awaited Laser World Championship gold medal.

Laser
1 – Semaine Olympique Française, Hyères, FRA – ISAF Grade 1 – Apr 2009
1 – Delta Lloyd Regatta, Medemblik, NED – ISAF Grade 1 – May 2009
1 – Kieler Woche, Kiel, GER – ISAF Grade 1 – June 2009
1 – Laser European Championship, Landskrona, SWE – ISAF Grade C1 – Aug 2009
1 – Laser World Championship, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CAN – ISAF Grade W – Aug 2009

Torben Grael (BRA)

In October 2008, Torben Grael embarked on his second Volvo Ocean Race as skipper of Ericsson 4. The race statistics speak for themselves and after ten legs, Grael had led Ericsson 4 to the podium in eight of them and of those, five were at the top. Ericsson 4 was also in the top three at all seven offshore scoring gates and on the podium for three of the seven in-port races, Grael’s team accrued a total of 114.5 points which represents 84% of the total points available. The team was unbeatable for the final leg and they crossed the finish line in St Petersburg with a nine-point lead.

With five Olympic medals under his belt, multiple world championship titles and a Louis Vuitton Cup, Torben Grael is a true world class competitor at every level of the sport and it was not long into leg one that his team made their mark on the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009. On 29 October, Ericsson 4 entered the record books claiming the 24hour Monohull World Record sailing a phenomenal 596.6nm, an average speed of 24.85 knots.

Grael’s secret to success is in the intensive training and the solidity of the Ericsson 4 team. The only boat in the race not to make changes to their crew list, the tough competition and new race route meant a consistent performance throughout was essential. After nine months and nearly 40,000 nautical miles of racing, Ericsson 4 was the undisputed winner of the Volvo Ocean Race 2009-2009.

Volvo 70 – Ericsson 4 – (skipper with 10 crew)
1 – Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009 – Oct 2008-Jun 2009
24 hour Monohull World Record – 596.6nm – average speed 24.85 knots – 29 Oct 2008

S40
2 – Rolex Ilhabela Sailing Week – Mitsubushi – Jul 2009

STP 65 – Luna Rossa (tactician)
2 – Cowes Week, Cowes, Isle of Wight, GBR- Aug 2009
2 – Rolex Fastnet Race, Cowes, Isle of Wight-Plymouth, GBR – Aug 2009

Nathan Outteridge (AUS)

Nathan Outteridge is an outstanding sailing talent who has demonstrated his abilities through a diverse range of classes. After a trio of gold medals at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in the early naughties, it hasn’t taken long for Outteridge to make his mark on the Olympic circuit, sailing a 49er. Now aged 23 Outteridge teamed up with Iain Jensen early in 2009 to campaign for the 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition and the pair picked up a win at their first event together, the Delta Lloyd Regatta. The next stop for Outteridge was Sardinia for the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship where he sailed as tactician on Estate Master, guiding the team to ninth place at his first international regatta in the class.

Back in the 49er Outteridge went to Riva del Garda for the World Championship as defending champion. A consistent regatta gave him his second regatta win with Jensen but most importantly, it was the big one, the 2009 49er World Championships. Staying in Garda, Outteridge downsized slightly to compete at the 29er Worlds as crew for Lauren Jeffries. Outteridge picked up his first World Championship silver medal, narrowly beating sister Hayley sailing with his 49er crew Jensen!

Another change of boat finished off this season for Outteridge and he picked up both the Australian and US national titles in the International Moth before clinching an outstanding silver medal at the class worlds in Oregon, USA.

49er
2 – Sydney International Regatta, Sydney, AUS – ISAF Grade 2 – Dec 2008
1 – Delta Lloyd Regatta, Medemblik, NED – ISAF Grade 1 – May 2009
1 – 49er World Championship, Riva del Garda, ITA – ISAF Grade W – Jun 2009

29er
2 – 29er World Championship, Riva del Garda, ITA – Jun 2009 (crew)

International Moth
1 – Zhik International Moth Australian National Championship, Geelong, AUS – Jan 2009
1 – US National Championship (pre-Worlds), Cascade Locks, Oregon, USA – Aug 2009
2 – CST Composites International Moth World Championship, Cascade Locks, Oregon, USA – Aug 2009

Farr 40
9 – Farr 40 World Championship, Sardinia, ITA – Jun 2009 (tactician – Estate Master)

A-Cat
11 – A-Class World Championship, Belmont, AUS – Jan 2009

The Voting
The winners will be selected by the ISAF Member National Authorities, the national governing bodies for sailing around the world, who are now invited to vote for the one male and one female sailor who they believe most deserves the Award.

The winners will be announced at the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards presentation and dinner which will take place on Tuesday 10 November 2009. The venue for the event is the Busan Yacht Club, Busan, Korea.

Each winner will be presented with the prestigious ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award Trophy and a distinctive Rolex timepiece.