One Week Until 2009 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award Winners are Named

ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year awards. Image copyright Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi.

by Giles Pearman

In just one week from today, on Tuesday, 10 November, Busan, Korea will play host to a spectacular ceremony and presentation where the male and female winners of the 2009 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards will be announced.

The Busan Yacht Club in Haeundae-gu, Busan, Korea, is the venue for the 2009 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards Dinner and Presentation. It is a night to celebrate sailing, for sailors and by sailors. The evening will be hosted by legendary Danish sailor Jesper Bank, a triple Olympic medallist and winner of the ISAF Match Racing World Championship, himself a past nominee for the World Sailor Award.

HRH Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, an enthusiastic sailor and regular on the Farr 40 circuit, will announce the male and female winners of this year's Awards. The Crown Prince and Lionel Schurch of Rolex SA will present the winners with the unique marble and silver World Sailor Trophy and a personalized Rolex timepiece.

This year four female and six male nominees have been shortlisted for the Award, based on their achievements during the qualifying period of 1 September 2008 to 31 August 2009.

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 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award is the highest award a sailor can receive in recognition of his/her outstanding achievements. The Awards are presented annually based on a worldwide selection process that incorporates an open invitation to nominations, followed by a vote amongst the 130 member nations of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF).

The Awards have been held every year since 1994 and past winners include Peter Blake, Ellen MacArthur, Robert Scheidt and Russell Coutts. In 2008 the Awards were presented to four-time Olympic medal winners Ben Ainslie (GBR) and Alessandra Sensini (ITA).

ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year