Amazing sailing and boating images from 2012
2012 was a fabulous year on the water... here are just a few of the highlights
What a year we've had! We knew it was going to be pretty special, with the Jubilee and the Olympic Games providing the ingredients for some fabulous spectacles , but never could we have imagined that 2012 would also produce so many record-breaking performances on the water. Here are a few of the highs...
Photo Helena Darvelid/Vestas Sailrocket
Smashed!
Sailrocket sailed into the record books this autumn when it smashed the outright world speed record not once but three times! Eventually recording 65.45 knots average over the required distance... that's above the legal motorway driving limit! For more see Sailrocket Smashes Outright World Sailing Speed Record.
Boats flocked to the River Thames to mark the Jubilee
Appropriately Royal
The Thames Jubilee Pageant was a stunning tribute to Her Majesty the Queen on her Diamond Jubilee, bringing together a huge range of craft including the beautifully gilded Gloriana. The country has never seen anything quite like it, and it was a great reminder that as an island nation the water is still a key part of our culture. See Thames Pageant is the highlight of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
Hydroplaning on Coniston
During Coniston Records Week, U-11 Peters & May-backed Unlimited hydroplane set a United Kingdom National Water Speed Record - it was the first time an Unlimited hydro had run on United Kingdom waters and was an impressive sight.
Ben Ainslie hails the crowds of spectators that turned out to witness his fourth Olympic gold medal - photo Tom Gruitt
Olympic Sensation
A home Olympic Games only comes around once in most people's lifetime, and our athletes, the organisers and the host of volunteer gamesmakers did the country proud, putting on an event that was perhaps the best ever Games, especially on the water. There, crowds gathered to witness Team GBR bring home five medals, silver being the predominant colour, but Ben Ainslie's gold brought him a place in history as the most decorated Olympic sailor in history. See First Olympic Sailing Medals Decided in Weymouth and Top 10 Moments From the 2012 Olympic Games.
Paralympic gold medallist Helena Lucas - photo Onedition
Paralympic triumph
Who says girls need their own class? Helena Lucas put in a fabulous performance to take gold in the Paralympic 2.4mR class... she was the only female in the fleet. It was also GBR's first ever Paralympic medal. See Gold and Bronze Paralympic Sailing Medals for Team GB.
Ben Jelf had reason to smile this year
Ben Jelf Continues to Impress
Young powerboat racing talent Ben Jelf had a spectacular year, including wins at the Europeans (see Ben Jelf, Aged 12, takes Second European Title) and the national sprint title and national title (see Powerboat GP Sprint Championship Winners and 6 Powerboat GP 2012 Winners Decided). It was also enough to get him shortlisted for the Yachting Journalist's Association Young Sailor of the Year Award.
The record-breaking Panque Populaire crew
Record-Breaking Circumnavigation
It's easy to forget that 2012 started with a record; that of giant multihull Banque Populaire, which set a new non-stop round the world record back in January (see Banque Populaire V sets new World Record). There was just one Brit on board the French-crewed boat, round the world racer Brian Thompson (see Brian Thompson Q&A).
Ian Williams and his GAC Pindar crew - photo Alpari World Match Racing Tour
Williams Dominates Match Racing
Ian Williams is one of sailing's often overlooked stars, but after a spectacular 2012 that saw him take the Alpari World Match Racing Series title for an unprecedented fourth time, he surely deserves wider recognition.
The amazing spectacle of Oracle's capsize - photo Guilain Grenier/Oracle Team USA
Crash spectacular
As things hot up ahead of the America's Cup in 2013, the first of the new giant AC72s were born... and they were soon flying. It seems that foiling is going to play a key part (see 10 Fantastic Foiling Boats), although pushing the boundaries proved a disaster for the American team when it resulted in the pitchpole and near total destruction of their boat... they can't launch another one until 2013. See Oracle AC72 Capsize: Amazing Photos and Oracle Team USA Capsize: the Video.
Groupama, skippered by France's Franck Cammas, finishing first into Auckland at the end of leg four of the 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race - photo Ian Roman/Volvo Ocean Race
French Volvo
The Volvo Ocean Race never fails to produce some amazing images and stories as crews race around the world. early in the race it seemed that Spain's Telefonica was going to walk away with the win, but it all changed in the second half and it was France's Groupama that took the top prize. See Groupama wins Volvo Ocean Race in Galway.
There it is... our random top 10 from 2012... 2013 is going to have a lot to live up to!
