Get your nominations in

ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards deadline on Wednesday 1200 GMT

Just a few hours remain to make nominations for the 2011 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards, the most prestigious award of recognition in the sport of sailing. Since the first Awards presentation in 1994, the nominees and winners have always included the highest achievers from all disciplines of the sport.

The accomplishments of the sailors nominated each year are an inspiration - from windsurfers and dinghy sailors to offshore specialists, a nominee’s achievements may be an exceptional series of regatta wins, a record breaking passage or a triumph against the odds.

Nominations may be made by anyone and the only criterion is “outstanding achievement in the sport of sailing” during the qualifying period of 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011.

Nominations should be sent to ISAF by 12:00 (GMT) on Wednesday 7 September using the Official Nomination Form, available here.

A shortlist of nominations will be drawn up by ISAF from all those received by the deadline and those making the cut will go on to become the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2011 Nominees. The 137 ISAF Member National Authorities will then vote for one male and one female nomination who they believe should win the Award.

The winners will be announced at the Awards dinner on Tuesday 8 November in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the host city for the ISAF Annual Conference. The winners will be presented with the unique marble and silver trophy depicting the globe, crowned with five silver spinnakers representing the continents, together with a personalized Rolex timepiece.

Past winners have been:

2010 Tom Slingsby (AUS) and Blanca Manchon (ESP)
2009 Torben Grael (BRA) and Anna Tunnicliffe (USA)
2008 Ben Ainslie (GBR) and Alessandra Sensini (ITA)
2007 Ed Baird (USA) and Claire Leroy (FRA)
2006 Mike Sanderson (NZL) and Paige Railey (USA)
2005 Fernando Echavarri & Anton Paz (ESP) and Ellen MacArthur (GBR)
2004 Robert Scheidt (BRA) and Sofia Bekatorou & Emilia Tsoulfa (GRE)
2003 Russell Coutts (SUI) and Siren Sundby (NOR)
2002 Ben Ainslie (GBR) and Sofia Bekatorou & Emilia Tsoulfa (GRE)
2001 Robert Scheidt (BRA) and Ellen MacArthur (GBR)
2000 Mark Reynolds & Magnus Liljedahl (USA) and Shirley Robertson (GBR)
1999 Mateusz Kusznierewicz (POL) and Margriet Matthijse (NED)
1998 Ben Ainslie (GBR) and Carolijn Brouwer (NED)
1997 Pete Goss (GBR) and Ruslana Taran & Elena Pakholchik (UKR)
1996 Jochen Schümann (GER) and Lai Shan Lee (HKG)
1995 Russell Coutts (NZL) and Isabelle Autissier (FRA)
1994 Peter Blake (NZL) & Robin Knox-Johnston (GBR) and Theresa Zabell (ESP)