2015 YJA Yachtsman of the Year Award – Cast your vote!

by Paul Gelder on 30 Oct 2015 There is just one day left to cast your vote for the 2015 Yachting Journalists’ Association’s prestigious Yachtsman of the Year award, sponsored by boats.com.

‘It’s been called “The Knighthood of Yachting” by one of our previous winners, Geoff Holt,’ says Paul Gelder, chairman of the Yachting Journalists’ Association. ‘It’s been won several times by those two great knights of the helm – Sir Ben Ainslie and last year’s winner, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.’

This year is the Diamond Jubilee of the award, first presented in 1955 to cruising sailor Eric Hiscock for his three-year circumnavigation with wife, Susan, in their 30ft wooden sloop, Wanderer III (the only boat to have twice won America’s Blue Water Medal, under both sets of owners).

The award was established in 1955 by the late Battle of Britain Spitfire pilot, newspaper tycoon and sailor Sir Max Aitken, who handed over the management of the award to the YJA in 1979.

The roll call of previous winners includes Dame Ellen MacArthur, Chay Blyth, Pete Goss, Tracy Edwards and the late Sir Peter Blake.

Members of the public can nominate their yachting heroes and up-and-coming talent with a second category for Young Sailor of the Year. You can nominate in one or both categories, which salute sporting excellence in power or sail – like breaking a world record, a phenomenal win, overcoming adversity, or showing exceptional courage. Winners are selected from a shortlist voted on by YJA members.

This year marks the second year of sponsorship of the awards by boats.com, a division of Dominion Marine Media. Nominations close Friday, October 30. The winners will be announced at a gala lunch on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at Trinity House, London.

Note: The Young Sailor of the Year will not have reached their 19th birthday before 31st December, 2015 and will hold, or be eligible to hold, a British passport.

Click here for the online nomination form