ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year 2015

Rolex World Sailor of the Year Trophy © Qilai Shen

A night under the stars in Sanya, China set the scene for the 2015 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards. Determination, persistence and the pursuit of excellence were clearly shared among the impressive list of nominees for this year's awards.

Beginning with Sir Peter Blake and Sir Robin Knox Johnston, the winners back in 1994 when the World Sailor Awards were initiated, the trophy reads like the definitive who's who in yachting.

The accolades have continued over the years and it was with great anticipation that Carlo Croce, President of the International Sailing Federation announced the winners this evening crowning Sarah Ayton, Peter Burling and Blair Tuke as the 2015 ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year.

Addressing the 500 guests in attendance, the President of the world governing body of sailing said, "This award is truly a special recognition for an individual or pair of sailors that has stood out during the year. It is a culmination of hard work and endeavor, combined perhaps with a bit of good fortune. Most nominees are here tonight, and if they are not, they are doing what they do best – sailing."

This year's winners of the male ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award are the talented duo from New Zealand campaigning in the 49er for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Burling and Tuke have dominated the sailing scene over the last year, winning ISAF Sailing World Cup regattas, Aquece Rio - International Sailing Regatta and the Trofeo Princesa Sofia, while also competing in the America's Cup World Series with Emirates Team New Zealand.

Currently preparing for the 49er Worlds, the pair could not attend the ceremony but commenting on their win from Buenos Aires, Tuke said, "It is a really big honour for us to win this award. We don't sail and race to win these awards, but it is really nice to get these accolades for all the hard work we put in. We are really proud to have won.

"All the nominees have achieved some awesome things this year in our sport, especially Ian Walker for winning the Volvo Ocean Race. We've been working hard all year and the results have come our way, not only in the 49er, but also in the other boats we sail. So we are looking ahead and keeping the hammer down towards the Olympics and then towards bringing the Cup back to New Zealand."

Double Olympic gold medallist and the only female competing on the Extreme Sailing Series, Ayton was awarded the female ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award.

After commending her fellow nominees, the golden girl of British sailing, Sarah Ayton commented, "It means such a lot to me to have won the Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award. I'm truly touched and proud. I hope to continue being an inspiration to women, young children and individuals who enjoy the sport that we love so much."

The ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards took place during the ISAF Annual Conference, the most important gathering of the year for the top athletes, leaders and decision makers in the sport of sailing.

These prestigious Awards, sponsored by Rolex since 2001, are the highest recognition a sailor can achieve and are based on a sailor's results over a twelve-month period (eg. from September 2014 to the end of September 2015).

Competition for the 2015 Awards was remarkable, with five outstanding female and five equally exceptional male candidates short-listed from a list of nominations made by the public at large.

The Member National Authorities (MNAs) votes were tallied earlier in the day and then each guest at the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards ceremony had the opportunity to cast one vote. It was an evening of intense suspense and anticipation, for both the nominees and guests in attendance.

The winners were presented with a Rolex timepiece and the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year trophy.

Male nominees:

Peter Burling & Blair Tuke (NZL)
Loick Peyron (FRA)
Giles Scott (GBR)
Ian Walker (GBR)
Ian Williams (GBR)

Female nominees:

Sarah Ayton (GBR)
Sam Davies (GBR)
Elena Kalinina (RUS)
Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen (DEN)
Charline Picon (FRA)

www.sailing.org/worldsailor

Update from Burling and Tuke

"We are really proud to receive this award," said an elated Blair Tuke. "Some great sailors and legendary kiwis have won in the past so to be in that sort of company is pretty humbling."

The only other New Zealanders to win the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year are Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie in 2013 (New Zealand's first ever winners in the Female category), Russell Coutts in 1995 and 2003, Mike Sanderson in 2006 and Sir Peter Blake in 1994.

"To now be part of that group is pretty special. For Blair and myself it's not all about the accolades but this is a pretty special one to win. We are just lucky that we get to compete at the highest level in a sport that we really love." said Burling.

"It's important to remember in being recognized that there is a huge amount of other people and supporters that enable us to do what we do on the water. We are part of two awesome teams in Emirates Team New Zealand and the NZL Sailing team and a hugely grateful to all the people that help us along the way."

2105 is the second successive year the kiwi duo have been nominated for the award, as recognition of their 21 straight regatta wins since 2012 in the Olympic 49er class, including victories at the 2015 Aquece Rio, Olympic Test event, ISAF Sailing World Cup Hyeres and Weymouth and Portland as well as Trofeo Princesa Sofia and only days ago winning the 49er South American Championship.

Alongside their Olympic campaign the pair have been a vital part of a new look Emirates Team New Zealand in the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series. A second at the first leg in Portsmouth, turned into victory a few weeks later in Gothenburg, followed by a very close second in Bermuda to give the team a dominant lead the and overall advantage in the 2015 series, which carries through to the 2017 America's Cup.

"It has been a great year for us in the 49er, the moth and America's Cup but we have some pretty big goals over the next few years with the Olympics and the America's Cup on the horizon so there is no shortage of motivation to keep pushing on to try and improve our yachting," said Burling.

Their record, not just for 2015 but also in the previous three years, speaks for itself illustrating the level of talent this new generation of sailors is bringing to the sport across multiple disciplines.

There is no doubting their talent and the prospect of what lies ahead for the pair in 2016 in Rio, 2017 in Bermuda and beyond and the ISAF Rolex Sailor of the Year awards cements their place a the best in the sailing world right now.

Burling and Tuke were not present to accept the award in Sanya, China as they are in Argentina preparing for next weeks 49er World Championships.