yja yachtsman of the year

YJA Yachtsman & Young Sailor of the Year Award winners revealed

Winners of the UK’s most prestigious awards in British yachting, the YJA Yachtsman of the Year and the YJA Young Sailor of the Year, supported by Henri-Lloyd, have been revealed.

• YJA Yachtsman of the Year – Lawrie Smith
• YJA Young Sailor of the Year – Tie between Jess Powell and Ben Greenhalgh

Cliff Webb, Chairman of the Yachting Journalists’ Association was joined by Hattie Rogers, the 2022 YJA Yachtsman of the Year, on the main stage at the BoatLife exhibition in Birmingham to announce the winners.

In the YJA Yachtsman of the Year category, YJA members voted for a household name in the world of yachting, but one that has never graced this prestigious trophy before. At 67 years old, Lawrie Smith is an accomplished Olympian, America’s Cup skipper, participated in four editions of the Whitbread Race, and is a UK National Champion in multiple classes.

2023 however, he had an exceptional run of success, winning the 75 th Edinburgh Cup and the Yanmar Dragon Gold Cup. He is presently competing overseas, and so Andrew Moss, Chairman of the British Dragon Class Association received the famous trophy on his behalf,

Andrew said, “Lawrie’s skill in being able to sail a Dragon fast, together with the technical capability of the boat, he just has this magical ability to combine these together which led to him winning both of these incredibly challenging events, so well done to him and for this fantastic recognition’.

In the YJA Young Sailor of the Year   there was a tie and so the YJA Committee awarded the trophy to joint winners – two rising stars in British sailing, Jess Powell and Ben Greenhalgh.

Thirteen-year-old Jess is the 2023 Topper National Champion and made a successful transition to the ILCA-4 class last year, dominating with six straight wins at an Autumn qualifier.

Ben Greenhalgh became a double world champion in 2023, winning the RS Tera World Championships, and also the RS Feva Worlds. Both sailors showed their ability to transition between fleets whilst continuing to excel in the results tables.

Previous winners of the YJA Young Sailor of the Year include:

Dame Ellen McArthur, Hannah Mills OBE, and Sir Ben Ainslie, who has so far also been awarded the YJA Yachtsman of the Year trophy five times.

Other notables from the YJA Yachtsman of the Year roll of honour include Sir Robin Knox Johnston, Sam Davies and Pip Hare, indeed Lawrie is the first male winner of the award since Alex Thompson in 2017.

Henri Lloyd were the supporting sponsor of the 2023 YJA awards. Graham Allen, CEO, Henri-Lloyd said, “Henri-Lloyd congratulates all the winners and it’s great to see Laurie Smith, winner of the Henri-Lloyd Outstanding Seamanship Awards in the Whitbread 89-90 race and someone who will always have a special place in the brand’s heritage, still showing incredible talent.

Editor’s note: The YJA would like to thank Henri-Lloyd who provided a voucher of £500 to the winners of both of the YJA awards, however, very kindly amended this to £300 for each of the two YJA Young Sailor winners.

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2023 YJA Yachting Awards Finalists Revealed Amidst a Thrilling Year of Nominations

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Nominations open for YJA Yachtsman of the Year

• Katy Stickland
• August 3, 2021

Nominations open for Stoneways Marine YJA Yachtsman of the Year and the Young Sailor of the Year 2021. Submissions must be made by 29 August 2021

Previous winners of the YJA Yachtsman of the Year Award includes Gavin Reid. who helped rescue a sailor during the 2016 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race. Credit: onEdition

Nominations for the Stoneways Marine YJA Yachtsman of the Year and the Young Sailor of the Year 2021 have opened.

Established in 1955, past winners of the YJA Yachtsman of the Year award including Sir Ben Ainslie, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston , Dame Ellen MacArthur, Dee Caffari MBE, Rodney Pattisson MBE, Sir Chay Blyth and Tracy Edwards MBE.

The award recognises not just performances in championship and major events but also great acts of seamanship.

In 2016, Clipper Race crew member Gavin Reid’s heroics during the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race earned him the trophy.

The YJA Yachtsman of the Year Award will be presented at the Southampton Boat Show. Credit: Sam Kurtul

He was crew on the Clipper Race boat, Mission Performance which answered an SOS from a yacht racing in the Sydney Hobart. A crew member was stuck at the top of the mast and his four fellow crew were too ill to help.

Gavin volunteered to swim between the two yachts, hoisted himself up the swinging mast and spent two hours untangling lines until the crewman was freed. Gavin then proceeded to lower the man down the mast.

Previous winners of the Young Sailor of the Year award include Montel Fagan-Jordan from London’s Greig City Academy, who won after taking part in the 2017 Rolex Fastnet Race aboard the 45ft Admiral Cup yacht Scaramouche . The crew placed 144th out of 362 starters and became the first state school to enter their own boat in the race.

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To qualify for the YJA Yachtsman of the Year and the Young Sailor of the Year awards, the nominee must be the holder of a British passport.

For the Young Sailor award, the nominee must be under the age of 19 on December 31st 2021.

The nomination period closes at midnight on Sunday 29th August.

Nominations can be made here: https://yja.world/yja-stoneways-marine-award-nominations-2021/

The Stoneways Marine YJA Yachtsman of the Year and the Young Sailor of the Year Awards will be presented during a gala dinner, which will be held on the opening day of the Southampton Boat Show in September.

2023 YJA Yachting Awards – Finalists Revealed

• Charlie Cumbley – A talented dinghy sailor with many championship titles to his name, Charlie has been nominated for his OK European Championship win on Lake Garda in 2023 off the back of his 2022 OK World Championship title.
• Ellie Aldridge – An outstanding year in Formula Kite for Ellie, with a silver at the 2023 world championships followed by gold at the European championships, and selection for Team GB for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
• Emma Wilson  – already a Team GB windsurfing bronze medalist at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and in 2023, Emma won Gold at the World Cup, won a European Championship Bronze medal, an Olympic Test Event Silver medal, and Bronze at the 2023 World Championships. In 2024 she will be going for Gold in Marseilles at the 2024 Olympics in France.
• Lawrie Smith –  A household name to many with his experience of sailing, Lawrie has had an exceptional year on the water in 2023, winning the 75 th Edinburgh Cup and the prestigious Yanmar Dragon Gold Cup.
• Ben Greenhalgh  – A rising star and a double world champion in 2023, winning the RS Tera Worlds and the RS Feva Worlds in the same year.
• Charlie Gran and Sam Webb  – who are the 2023 UK 29er National Champions, finished 8 th at the Endeavour Trophy, while beating many multiple national and world champions, and were selected to represent Team GB at the Youth Sailing Worlds in December, finishing a hugely creditable 4th.
• Jess Powell  – Jess won the Topper National Championships in 2023, and has made the transition to the ILCA4 class in 2023, dominating with six straight wins at an Autumn qualifier.

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2023 YJA Awards Winners Revealed

The winners of YJA Yachtsman of the Year and the YJA Young Sailor of the Year, supported by Henri-Lloyd, have been revealed.

In the presence of family, friends, former winners and guests, Cliff Webb, Chairman of the Yachting Journalists’ Association was joined by Hattie Rogers, the 2022 YJA Yachtsman of the Year, on the main stage at BoatLife in Birmingham to announce the winners.

The YJA Young Sailor of the Year is awarded to those Under 19 at the end of year who, as voted for by the YJA Members, performed outstandingly. However, once voting was concluded, there was a tie and so the YJA Committee awarded the trophy to joint winners – two rising stars in British sailing, Jess Powell and Ben Greenhalgh.

Thirteen-year-old Jess is the 2023 Topper National Champion and made a successful transition to the ILCA-4 class last year, dominating with six straight wins at an Autumn qualifier. Ben Greenhalgh became a double world champion in 2023, winning the RS Tera World Championships, and also the RS Feva Worlds. Both sailors showed their ability to transition between fleets whilst continuing to excel in the results tables.

Surprised at their joint award, Jess said, ’It’s an amazing feeling and such an honour to win the award. I love being on the water. It’s the freedom, I really enjoy that part. Thank you so much to the YJA and everyone that voted for me’.’

And fifteen-year-old Ben commented “I progressed from the RS Tera to the RS Feva and now I want something a bit faster with good competition, so my next focus is the 29er worlds. I am really thankful to have won this award and pleased to be joint YJA Young Sailor of the Year, and I want to thank all in the yachting journalist’s association for voting for me’.’

Both winners also recognised the achievement of the other nominees, Charlie Gran and Sam Webb, who were the 29er National Champions.

In the YJA Yachtsman of the Year category, YJA members voted for a household name in the world of yachting, but one that has never graced this prestigious trophy before. At 67 years old, Lawrie Smith is an accomplished Olympian, America’s Cup skipper, participated in four editions of the Whitbread Race and is a UK National Champion in multiple classes. In 2023 however, he had an exceptional run of success, winning the 75 th Edinburgh Cup and the Yanmar Dragon Gold Cup.

He is presently competing overseas, and so Andrew Moss, Chairman of the British Dragon Class Association received the famous trophy on his behalf, and said, “Lawrie’s skill in being able to sail a Dragon fast, together with the technical capability of the boat, he just has this magical ability to combine these together which led to him winning both of these incredibly challenging events, so well done to him and for this fantastic recognition.”

Other nominees included Charlie Cumbley in the Ok Dinghy class, Ellie Aldridge in Formula Kite and IQ Foil windsurfing star Emma Wilson.

“Huge congratulations to Lawrie, it’s wonderful that he’s been recognised by YJA members in this way after the remarkable career he’s had in the sport” commented Cliff Webb, “and to have joint winners of the YJA Young Sailor award is fabulous, which we hope will inspire them to go on to achieve more success in their careers.’’

Previous winners of the YJA Young Sailor of the Year include Dame Ellen McArthur, Hannah Mills OBE, and Sir Ben Ainslie, who has so far also been awarded the YJA Yachtsman of the Year trophy five times. Other notables from the YJA Yachtsman of the Year roll of honour include Sir Robin Knox Johnston, Sam Davies and Pip Hare, indeed Lawrie is the first male winner of the award since Alex Thompson in 2017.

Henri Lloyd were the supporting sponsor of the 2023 YJA awards, and Graham Allen, CEO, Henri-Lloyd said, “Henri-Lloyd congratulates all the winners and it’s great to see Laurie Smith, winner of the Henri-Lloyd Outstanding Seamanship Awards in the Whitbread 89-90 race and someone who will always have a special place in the brand’s heritage, still showing incredible talent.  Henri-Lloyd has over 60 years of experience keeping sailors safe, warm and comfortable, so we understand the importance of maintaining outstanding performance over many years!”

The post 2023 YJA Awards Winners Revealed appeared first on All At Sea .

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Lawrie Smith Wins YJA Yachtsman of the Year Award

2023 YJA Awards Winners Revealed at BoatLife , NEC Birmingham, February 2024

The winners of the UK’s most prestigious awards in British yachting, the  YJA Yachtsman of the Year  and the  YJA   Young Sailor of the Year,  supported by Henri-Lloyd, have been revealed.

In the presence of family, friends, former winners and guests, Cliff Webb, Chairman of the Yachting Journalists’ Association was joined by Hattie Rogers, the 2022 YJA Yachtsman of the Year, on the main stage at BoatLife in Birmingham to announce the winners.

The  YJA Yachtsman of the Year  went to one of our own, Lawrie Smith. A household name in the world of yachting, but one that has never graced this prestigious trophy before. Lawrie Smith  is an accomplished Olympian, America’s Cup skipper, participated in four editions of the Whitbread Race and is a UK National Champion in multiple classes. In 2023 however, he had an exceptional run of success, winning the 75 th  Edinburgh Cup and the Yanmar Dragon Gold Cup. He is presently competing overseas and so Andrew Moss, Chairman of the British Dragon Class Association received the famous trophy on his behalf, and said, “Lawrie’s skill in being able to sail a Dragon fast, together with the technical capability of the boat, he just has this magical ability to combine these together, which led to him winning both of these incredibly challenging events, so well done to him and for this fantastic recognition”.

Other nominees in this category included Charlie Cumbley, Ellie Aldridge and Emma Wilson.

The  YJA Young Sailor of the Year  was awarded to two rising stars in British sailing, 2023 Topper National Champion Jess Powell and double World Champion Ben Greenhalgh.

“Huge congratulations to Lawrie, it’s wonderful that he’s been recognised by YJA members in this way after the remarkable career he’s had in the sport” commented Cliff Webb, “and to have joint winners of the YJA Young Sailor award is fabulous, which we hope will inspire them to go on to achieve more success in their careers’’.

Previous winners of the YJA Young Sailor of the Year include Dame Ellen McArthur, Hannah Mills OBE, and Sir Ben Ainslie, who has so far also been awarded the YJA Yachtsman of the Year trophy five times. Other notables from the YJA Yachtsman of the Year roll of honour include Sir Robin Knox Johnston, Sam Davies and Pip Hare, indeed Lawrie is the first male winner of the award since Alex Thompson in 2017.

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​Gavin Reid ‘honoured’ with nomination for prestigious YJA Yachtsman of the Year Awards

25 October 2016

Mission Performance round the world crew member Gavin Reid, 28, has been shortlisted alongside world leading sailors for the industry renowned 2016 boats.com YJA (Yachting Journalists' Association) Yachtsman of the Year Award, and Young Sailor of the Year Award.

Gavin, (pictured receiving the Henri Lloyd Seamanship Award at Race Finish with his team mates) who is nominated alongside 2016 Olympic Finn Class Gold Medalist Giles Scott and Round the Island Race record setter Brian Thompson, says: “It is a real honour to have made the final three for 2016 boats.com YJA's Yachtsmen of the Year alongside such titans of the sport as Brian Thompson and Giles Scott, and also to be nominated for the Young Sailor of the Year Award. I am overwhelmed by the amount of praise I have received for taking part in the rescue, though to me it pales in comparison to the achievements in yachting that others have accomplished over the year.

(Gavin pictured in the yellow drysuit climbing the mast to rescue the crew member at the top of the mast)

Gavin Reid and his Mission Performance crew were competing in Race 6 of the 14-stage Clipper 2015-16 Race, from Hobart to the Whitsundays, Australia, when an SOS was picked up from a yacht which had a crewman stuck at the top of the mast.

Mission Performance was the nearest to the stricken vessel and Skipper Greg Miller and his crew immediately abandoned their Clipper Race campaign to assist. Gavin, who was born deaf in both ears and had zero sailing experience prior to signing up for the Clipper Race had developed into a watch leader on board. He volunteered to swim from the Clipper 70 to the other yacht where he found four of the crew onboard incapacitated and unable to help their crewmate who had been tangled in halyards at the top of the mast for several hours. Using the one remaining staysail halyard, Gavin was able to hoist himself two thirds of the way up the swinging mast, then climbed the rest of the way hand-over-hand to reach the crewman, untangle the lines and help to lower him down safely. Mission Peformance then returned to the Clipper Race and were provided redress points for the incident before completing the remaining nine races of the circumnavigation. On arrival back to London in July this year Gavin was also awarded the race's Henri Lloyd Seamanship Award. Clipper Race Chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, four time winner of the YJA Yachtsman of the Year Award, says: “Gavin Reid’s nomination for the YJA Yachtsman of the Year and Young Sailor of the Year Awards are highly deserved. Not only did he make a very courageous and selfless decision to help a fellow yachtsman in need in challenging circumstances, he also continually impressed me throughout the entire circumnavigation. “One of 40 per cent of our Clipper Race crew who had no previous sailing experience, Gavin was a natural and fast became a very integral member of his Mission Performance team. I hope his experiences and this recognition inspire him to continue to pursue future sailing opportunities.”

Established in 1955, the Yachtsman of the Year Award is one of the top yachting honours. Previous winners of the award include Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Dame Ellen MacArthur and four-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Ben Ainslie. The Young Sailor of the Year Award was first awarded in 1993. Fellow Yachtsman of the Year Award nominee Giles Scott from Portsmouth capped a remarkable three-year unbeaten record in the Finn singlehander class by winning gold at the Rio Olympics. In doing so, he also retained his Finn Gold Cup world champion title for the third successive year, and also played a significant role as bowman and tactician aboard Britain’s Land Rover BAR America’s Cup challenge, which leads the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series going into the last event at Fukuoka, Japan on November 18.

Brian Thompson from Southampton, one of Britain’s leading multihull skippers, stormed round the Isle of Wight to break this year’s JP Morgan Round the Island Race record, completing the 50 mile distance in 2 hours 23 minutes 23 seconds in the MOD 70 trimaran Phaedo 3. Then in August, Thompson and his eight-strong Phaedo 3 crew repeated the performance to break the outright record with a time of 2 hours, 4 minutes 14 seconds – an average of 24.15 knots.

The other finalists for the 2016 boats.com Young Sailor of the Year Award are 15 year old 2016 Topper world champion Elliott Kuzyk, Tom Darling (18) and Crispin Beaumont (18), Bronze medalists at the 2016 29er World Championships, and powerboat racer Thomas Mantripp (15), who won this year’s GP RYA British GT15 and British Sprint Championship titles.

Ian Atkins, President of boats.com, says: “The open nominations process for these two awards highlighted the number of exceptional achievements that we have witnessed in 2016. Creating a shortlist of just three nominees for each category is never easy. We already look forward to announcing the YJA's winner in January 2017.” The winners of these premier British achievement awards will be announced at a gala luncheon on Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at Trinity House, London following a vote among members of the Yachting Journalists’ Association (YJA).

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Finalists announced for YJA Yachtsman of the Year

• Laura Hodgetts
• October 25, 2016

YJA Yachtsman of the Year award finalists. Photo credits from top left, clockwise: onEdition; Sailing Energy/World Sailing; Paul Wyeth

Olympic Finn class gold medallist Giles Scott, Round the Island Race record setter Brian Thompson, and Clipper Race crewman Gavin Reid, have been shortlisted for the 2016 boats.com YJA Yachtsman of the Year award.

Finalists for the Young Sailor of the Year award are 15-year-old 2016 Topper world champion Elliott Kuzyk, 18-year-olds Tom Darling and Crispin Beaumont, bronze medalists at the 2016 29er World Championships, and powerboat racer Thomas Mantripp, 15, who won this year’s GP RYA British GT15 and British Sprint Championship titles.

The winners of these British achievement awards will be announced at a gala luncheon on Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at Trinity House, London following a vote among members of the Yachting Journalists’ Association (YJA).

boats.com YJA Yachtsman of the Year finalists

Giles Scott at the Rio Olympics. Photo: Sailing Energy/World Sailing

Giles Scott from Portsmouth capped a remarkable three-year unbeaten record in the Finn single-hander dinghy class by winning gold at the Rio Olympics. In doing so, he also retained his Finn Gold Cup world champion title for the third successive year, and also played a significant role as bowman and tactician aboard Britain’s LandRover BAR America’s Cup challenge, which leads the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series going into the last event at Fukuoka, Japan on November 18.

Brian Thompson, new record Round the Island. Photo: Paul Wyeth

Brian Thompson from Southampton, one of Britain’s leading multihull skippers, stormed around the Isle of Wight to break this year’s JP Morgan Round the Island Race record, completing the 50-mile distance in two hours 23 minutes 23 seconds in the MOD 70 trimaran Phaedo 3 .  Then in August, Thompson and his eight-strong Phaedo 3 crew repeated the performance to break the outright record with a time of two hours, four minutes 14 seconds – an average of 24.15 knots.

Gavin Reid. Credit onEdition

Gavin Reid from Cambridge, was crewing the Clipper Round the World race yacht Mission Performance when an SOS was picked up off the New South Wales coast of Australia from a yacht returning from the Sydney Hobart Race which had a crewman stuck at the top of the mast.

Mission Performance was competing in the Henri-Lloyd Hobart to Whitsunday’s leg of the Clipper Race and was nearest to the stricken vessel. Gavin, aged 27, who is profoundly deaf and had zero sailing experience prior to signing up for the Clipper Race, volunteered to swim between the two yachts and found four other crew onboard all incapacitated and unable to help their crewmate who had been tangled in halyards at the top of the mast for several hours.

Using the one remaining staysail halyard, he was able to hoist himself two thirds of the way up the swinging mast, then climbed the rest of the way hand-over-hand to reach the crewman, untangle the lines and help to lower him down safely.

boats.com YJA Young Sailor of the Year finalists

Thomas Mantripp, 15, from Lowestoft, won this year’s GP RYA British powerboat GT15 and British Sprint Championship titles. He also secured a bronze medal at this year’s GT15 UIM European championships, and competing in his first full season in the GT30 class, also collected double bronze in this division too.

Elliott Kuzyk, 15, from Parkestone Yacht Club won this year’s Topper class World championship. In Ireland, Elliott eventually took the title after a seven-way battle for top spot. He also broke UK regional records by winning the Topper national championships for an impressive fifth year in a row.

Racing duo, Tom Darling, 18, from Kettering and Crispin Beaumont, 18, from Halesowen, finished third in a 200-strong fleet at this year’s 29er World championship in Medemblik, Holland, the first British pair to gain a medal in this very competitive class since 2008. The pair also won the 2016 British youth and national championships, and will be representing Britain at the 2016 Youth World championships in Auckland, New Zealand in December.

YJA Yachtsman of the Year trophy Ian Atkins, President of boats.com, said: ‘The open nominations process for these two Awards highlighted the number of exceptional achievements that we have witnessed in 2016. Creating a shortlist of just three nominees for each category is never easy. We already look forward to announcing the YJA’s winner in January 2017.’

About the awards

Established in 1955 by Sir Max Aitken, Battle of Britain pilot, chairman of Express Newspapers and himself a leading yachtsman in both sail and power, the Yachtsman of the Year Award is now established as one of the top yachting honours.

Previous winners of the Award include Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Dame Ellen MacArthur and four-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Ben Ainslie. The Young Sailor of the Year Award was first awarded in 1993.

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Round the world sailing hero Ian Walker is named YJA Yachtsman of the Year

• Stef Bottinelli

Ian Walker was today named boats.com YJA Yachtsman of the Year by the Yachting Journalists’ Association at a prestigious awards ceremony. Eleanor Poole was named boats.com YJA Young Sailor of the Year and famous yachting cartoonist Mike Peyton was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award

The Yachtsman of the Year Award is one of Britain’s most coveted sporting trophies and 2015 marks its Diamond Jubilee. Previous winners include Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Dame Ellen MacArthur and Sir Ben Ainslie. It’s regarded by many as “the knighthood of yachting” and is awarded by the Yachting Journalists’ Association.

Ian Walker, from Warsash in Hampshire, became the first British skipper to win the Volvo Ocean Race in the event’s 37 year history, when he led Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing to victory in the 2014/15 event. Ian and his team also won the in-port race series and set a 24-hour distance record of an incredible 550.82 nautical miles.

This performance impressed the country’s foremost sailing journalists, with YJA members voting him the eventual winner from a closely contested shortlist of nominees that included Match Racing World Champion Ian Williams from Lymington, and Finn Class champion Giles Scott, from Weymouth.

The Young Sailor of the Year Award was first awarded in 1993 and recognises endeavour and achievement by Britain’s upcoming young sailors.

Eleanor Poole, from Dunsford in Devon, impressed members of the YJA, by garnering a string of firsts to win the 2015 Topper National championships at the age of 14, as well as securing an impressive seventh at the 2015 Topper World Championship on Lake Garda, Italy.

Eleanor topped a strong shortlist of up-and-coming young talents that included Jack Lewis from Rugby and Cameron Tweedle from Oxfordshire.

15 year old Eleanor Poole from Dunsford, Devon, winner of the boats.com YJA Young Sailor of the Year Award, presented by Ian Atkins, CEO of boats.com and Paul Gelder, Chairman of the Yachting Journalists’ Association at Trinity House, London.

Mike Peyton, who has been described as ‘The world’s foremost yachting cartoonist,’ was named as the recipient of a special YJA Diamond Jubilee Lifetime Achievement Award. Peyton, who celebrated his 95 th birthday on January 8 th , has been a unique commentator on the sailing scene for more than 60 years. His cartoons have been published in scores of magazines from Japan to America, the antipodes and every sailing magazine in Britain.

Comedian and sailor Griff Rhys Jones says of Peyton: “He captures the anti-glamour of yachting.’ Sir Robin Knox-Johnston says: “Mike’s been my favourite yachting cartoonist for decades.”

Sponsored by boats.com , the global online resource for boating enthusiasts to explore, discover and research, the awards were presented by Ian Atkins, president of boats.com and Paul Gelder, chairman of the YJA.

Accepting his award, Ian Walker said: “It was very competitive this year with some truly fantastic nominees and I am privileged to have won such a coveted award.  I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who voted for me. I was first nominated for the award back in 1994 – so it has been a long road to win it.  I’ve always sailed as part of a team so this award is as much about our Volvo Ocean Race winning Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team as it is about me.”

Eleanor Poole commented: “It feels fabulous to win the award, just incredible. I wasn’t the favourite to win the nationals but as the event went on I got better and better and it all came together in the end.  I love being out on the water and I find the competitive element of sailing very exciting – especially on the start line of a race.”

Ian Atkins, president on boats.com, said: “I was delighted to reveal the winners of the boats.com YJA Yachtsman and Young Sailor of the Year awards today.  The event marks our second year as sponsors, and we’re pleased to be part of this historic event in its 60 th year. As a long-time competitive sailor myself, I feel strongly about being involved in a framework that rewards the most deserving yachtsmen. I’d like to say a huge congratulations to both Ian and Eleanor on behalf of boats.com .”

Paul Gelder, chairman of The Yachting Journalists’ Association added: “Ian Walker is one of Britain’s most successful sailors and we’re delighted to see his name added to the illustrious winners of our trophy.”

The Yachting Journalists’ Association (YJA) represents more than 260 specialist marine journalists, photographers, TV and radio presenters across the major sailing and boating regions in the world. It aims to promote greater awareness of all aspects of leisure boating through the professional services offered by its members.

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Nick Craig wins YJA Pantaenius’ Yachtsman of the Year

• January 11, 2012

British dinghy sailor Nick Craig has won the coveted title for 2011

Dinghy sailor Nick Craig has won the coveted title of YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year for 2011, beating both Ben Ainslie and Dee Caffari. The trophy was presented by Geoff Holt MBE, the 2010 YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year winner.

Nick not only won the highly competitive OK World Championship in 2011 but in doing so also became the only person ever, to hold the World, UK National and Inland championship titles. He also won the RS400 National championship.

To conclude an outstanding year, Nick went on to secure an overall win of the extremely challenging Endeavour Championship for the 5th time. The Endeavour Championship is an annual invitation only event, held at Burnham-on-Crouch, to determine the overall dinghy champion of champions from the UK’s mostpopular dinghy racing classes. Winning the Endeavour Trophy is and always has been recognised as an ultimate dinghy racing achievement. So to win five times, representing different classes throughout the years, puts Nick amongst the most versatile and talented dinghy sailors in the world.  

Other finalists The other finalists for the YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year award were Ben Ainslie CBE and Dee Caffari. Despite having already won three Olympic Gold medals and a Silver, Ben is far from sitting back and basking in the glory of his past successes. In this pre Olympic year he has worked hard to achieve yet more spectacular results including winning the 2011 WeymouthSkandia Sail for Gold Regatta and the Weymouth and Portland International Regatta (Olympic test event). His outstanding performance has once again earned him a place within Team GB to compete at the 2012 London Olympics.

In the 2010/11 two handed Barcelona World Race 38 year old Dee Caffari and her co skipper, Spaniard Anna Corbella finished in 6th place. On completion of this race Dee entered the record books as the only woman to have circumnavigated the globe, non stop,three times.

Young Sailor of the Year

The 2011 YJA Pantaenius Young Sailor of the Year was announced at a separate ceremony held on Saturday 7th January at the Tullett Prebon London International Boat Show. Annabel Vose and Megan Brickwood from Southampton were presented with the award by Skandia Team GBR’s Iain Percy OBE.

Annabel and Megan started 2011 by winning the Ladies World Title in Buenos Aires, Argentina in the 420 World Championships at just 16 years old and despite having a broken mast in one race. They won Silver andwere 1st female crew at the Flanders Youth Regatta and won the Bronze medal at the 2011 Open 420 Junior European Championships.

Annabel and Megan were selected from amongst a strong field of nominees forthis year’s Award, 13 of which were drawn from the RYA Regional YoungSailor of the Year winners who are voted for by RYA affiliated sailing clubs and who were presented with their awards by Peter Cook, President of the YJA. These young sailors have made a significant impact on youth sailing, ranging from Gold medal winning achievements and overcoming adversity, to the huge amount of hard work and effort they give back to their clubs.

The YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year Award is open to any British resident or passport holder who has made an outstanding achievement under sail or power during the year. The YJA Pantaenius Young Sailor of the Year awards British youngsters aged 18 and under (as at 31 December), in possession of a British passport (or immediately eligible to receive a British passport), who have made a significant impact on youth sailing.

Click here to see a full list of the award’s previous winners.

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Nominees for YJA Yachtsman of the Year revealed

Monday, February 13th, 2023

Written by: Marine Industry News

The nominees for this year’s YJA Yachtsman of the Year and Young Sailor of the Year awards have been revealed.

The awards will be presented at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show, taking place in Farnborough International over the weekend of 25-26 February 2023.

This year’s nominees for 2022 YJA Yachtsman of the Year include Richard Palmer, for his success in winning numerous events through 2022 including the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race, and becoming the first double-handed winner in the Rolex Middle Sea race.

Tom Gillard is nominated for his performances in the dinghy racing scene, winning 23 of 25 events he entered, including the Fireball national, inland and world championships.

Team GB sailor and Olympic gold medallist Dylan Fletcher-Scott is also nominated, after winning the Moth World Championships, competing against many America’s Cup sailors, winning the world title in style.

The final nominee is Hattie Rogers, after her win at the SailGP Grand Final in the Waszp class, she has become an integral part of the Athena Pathway Programme in the ETF26 Series.

Previous recipients of the award include Sir Ben Ainslie, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Dame Ellen MacArthur, Alex Thomson, and Dee Caffari. The current holder is Pip Hare , who won in 2021.

Meanwhile there are three nominees for the YJA Young Sailor of the Year Award, which recognises rising talent. The 15-year-old sailor Joe Rowe is nominated after winning the Topper World Championships held on Lake Garda in Italy, with 144 competitors.

Charlie Dixon, 17, is nominated for his achievements in the IQFoil windsurfing class after an astonishing year. Kai Hockley is the third nominee, for his determination and skills while competing in the ILCA Nationals in his Laser dinghy.

The awards occur at 3.40pm at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show on Saturday, 25 February 2023.

“We are delighted to be hosting the presentation of these prestigious [awards],” says RYA CEO Sara Sutcliffe. “The history of the Yachtsman of the Year Award in particular is truly remarkable, having been awarded to many of the great names in sailing and boating since 1955. We look forward to finding out who will have their name added to this extraordinary roll of honour at the show.”

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• YJA Yachtsman of the Year Awards 2022 – nomination form

YJA Yachtsman of the Year

Yja young sailor of the year, yja young journalist of the year.