"Knighthood of Yachting" celebrates 60 years
Just why is the boats.com Yachtsman of the Year Award so important? With the nominations now open for the boats.com YJA Yachtsman of the Year and Young Sailor of the Year Awards, Gael Pawson shares her thoughts on the event.
There are few accolades in our sport that carry more weight than the boats.com Yachting Journalists' Association Yachtsman of the Year Award. Geoff Holt, who won the award in 2010 said, “Winning the YJA Yachtsman of the Year Award was the highlight of my yachting career. To know it is the yachting journalists themselves, the people who actually promote our sport, chose me as the winner meant a lot. I call it the “Knighthood of Yachting” and I am humbled to have my name engraved on the trophy alongside so many sailing heroes of mine.”
Nominations are now open for the boats.com YJA Yachtsman of the Year and Young Sailor of the Year Awards.
Geoff's description of the Award sums up the esteem in which it is held. The current holder is a real Knight, Sir Robin Knox Johnston (see Sir Robin Knox-Johnston is boats.com YJA Yachtsman of the Year Award), other previous winners include Sir Ben Ainslie and Dame Ellen MacArthur. In fact, the role call of former winners is rather like a "Who's Who" of yachting, spanning both power and sail, cruising and racing, big boats and small.
Diamond anniversary year
To give things an added significance, this year the award celebrates its diamond anniversary. Established in 1955 by Sir Max Aitken (then chairman of Express Newspapers), the trophy and its management was passed to the Yachting Journalists' Association (YJA) in 1979. It does a vital job in recognising the achievements made by our top sailors and powerboaters, giving both them and the sports in which they participate wider coverage in the media. I'm proud to have an involvement in the event, having attended for years (see Inspiring company at Yachtsman of the Year Awards) and this year I'll even be helping on the organisation side.
There is a second award, which often gets overshadowed by the first, the Young Sailor of the Year Award. Its role is perhaps more vital than the first. Established in 1993, it has done a huge amount to highlight amazing achievements by younger sailors before they hit the big time.
There are plenty of other awards around, but none that carry the weight these accolades do. With 60 years of history, and all it does to give yachting added exposure and recognition, I think everyone involved plays an important role in ensuring the best in yachting continue to be celebrated and recognised. The sponsor's role in that shouldn't be underestimated. For the second year running the awards will be known as the boats.com YJA Yachtsman of the Year and the boats.com YJA Young Sailor of the Year, with boats.com as the title sponsor.
Nominate your candidates
The other contribution not to be under-estimated is the one you make. The big question, of course, is who will be the winner? Nominations are now open and you can make your suggestions here.
Who will I be nominating? I'll be keeping that to myself; there are plenty of worthy candidates, even in a non-Olympic year.
Do I know who will win? No. The members of the Yachting Journalists' Association will decide that and mine will only be one vote among many. The overall winner will remain a closely-guarded secret until it is revealed at the awards ceremony in January.
Your role is to make sure the right candidates make the shortlist (to be announced in November), so don't forget to submit your nominations now.
Ian Atkins (President boats.com), Sir Robin Knox-Johnson (Winner Yachtsman of the Year), Bob Fisher (Chairman, YJA) at the Awards ceremony in January 2015. The next award will be made in January 2016.
