Shortlist announced

For Raymarine Yachtsman of the Year finallists

Top yachtsmen from the world of power and sail have been short-listed for this year's prestigious Raymarine YJA Yachtsman of the Year and Young Sailor of the Year Awards.

Short-listed for the Raymarine YJA Yachtsman of the Year are 5-times Class 1 World Powerboat Champion Steve Curtis, hot Olympic hopefuls Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks, and solo circumnavigator Emma Richards.

The Raymarine Young Sailor of the Year nominees are 15 year old Hannah Mills - Britain's top Optimist sailor, solo transatlantic sailor Sebastian Clover also 15, 420
Champions Luke Patience, Adam Wagner, aged 17, and 16 year-old Laser Sailor Campbell Davidson.

The finalists now go forward to a vote by members of the 300 strong Yachting Journalists' Association.

The winners will be announced at 12:00 Noon on Thursday, 8 January at the Schroder's 50th London International Boat Show at ExCel (Inland Waterway central stage, North Hall). British round the world yachtswoman Tracy Edwards MBE, who won the coveted Yachtsman of the Year Award in 1989, will present the trophies.

Steve Curtis

Steve Curtis has won the Class 1 World Offshore Powerboat Championship for an unprecedented 5th time. Racing with the Norwegian Bjorn Gjelsten aboard 'Spirit of Norway', they won the championship in October with victory in the Qatar Grand Prix - their 5th win in six races this year. The pair is also European and Pole Position champions.

Steve, who was runner up to Olympic and world sailing champion Ben Ainslie in last year's Yachtsman of the Year Awards, has been a leading light in the world of powerboat racing for more than two decades. The 39 year old from Southampton, has proved himself to be the world's top throttle man. His role is to control the speed of his 160mph Spirit of Norway and to work in close sync with helmsman Bjorn Gjelsten when cornering and navigating through big seas.

This year Steve was awarded the Seagrave Trophy for the most outstanding demonstration of transportation by land, air or water. Previous winners include Jackie Stewart, Nigel Mansell, Colin McRae and Barry Sheene. Curtis has won 17 Class One Grand Prix, appeared on the Podium 24 times and has claimed 18 Pole Positions.

Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks

A year before the Olympics in Athens, Chris Draper and Simon Hiscocks have become top of the world in the twin trapeze 49er class. The two joined forces in 2001 after Simon had won a Silver Medal in the class with Ian Barker at the Sydney Games. Since then, this new partnership has hardly put a foot wrong, winning Silver Medals at the 2002 World Championships and taking the title with two races to spare at the 2003 ISAF World Sailing Championships.

Chris, who won a Silver Medal at the 1996 Youth World Championships, narrowly missed selection to the 2000 Olympic Games when sailing a 470. Simon began sailing the 49er in 1998 after racing Fireballs and 505s. The two now live at Portland, Dorset and practice in Weymouth Harbour. Draper and Hiscocks now go forward as Britain's nominated 49er crew for the 2004 Olympics.

Emma Richards

Round the world sailor Emma Richards became the first British woman and youngest ever competitor to complete the Around Alone Race. Racing the 60ft monohull 'Pindar' the 28 year old finished a credible 4th overall in the 2002/3 event in what is the longest race for an individual in any sport.

Months after gaining a degree in sports medicine in 1998, she cut her teeth with Tracy Edwards' Royal Sun Alliance all-girl challenge for the Jules Verne non-stop round the world trophy. In 1999, she won the Open 50 class in the Transat Jacques Vabres race before going on to win the RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race the following year.

2000 also saw Emma compete in her first single-handed race when she won the Open 50 Class in the Europe 1 New Star Race. In 2001 she teamed up with Mika Von Koskull to co-skipper the 60ft trimaran Pindar in the double-handed Transat Jacques Vabres from Le Havre to Brazil where they finished 9th. Emma Richards was brought up in Helensburgh, Scotland but now lives at Hamble, Hampshire.

Other nominations for the Raymarine YJA Yachtsman of the Year Award included:

Ben Ainslie - Winner of the 2003 Finn World Championship
Vicky Cadman - Founder of the K Class powerboats for children 8-16
Russell Coxon - Instructor/administrator at Britannia Sailing Centre
Tony Jenvey/Neil McGrigor/Simon Rogers - Round Britain record holders
Robert Miller - Transatlantic record breaker with his yacht Mari Cha IV
Iain Percy - Bronze Medallist in the 2003 ISAF World Championships
Shirley Robertson - Gold Medal winner in the Yngling 2003 Pre-Olympic Regatta
Simon Rowell - Winning skipper of the 2002/3 Clipper Round the World Race
Bob Strachan - Charity work with the Birmingham Narrowboat Trust