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NEWS DIRECTORY: Hampshire sailing duo Annabel and Megan are Britain's top youth sailors — Nick Craig talks about winning the Yachtsman of the Year title  -  Honorary Doctorate for Sir Robin

 

 

 

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DINGHY SAILOR NICK CRAIG

WINS

THE YJA PANTAENIUS

YACHTSMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD

 

Dateline: Trinity House, London:

DINGHY sailor Nick Craig from Woking, Surrey, won the coveted title of YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year for 2011.  The announcement was made at an awards ceremony held at Trinity House, London.  Nick, 37, and the father of twins, not only won the highly competitive OK World Championship in 2011 but in doing so also became the only person ever, to hold the World, UK National and Inland championship titles.  He also won the RS400 National championship.  To conclude an outstanding year, Nick went on to secure an overall win of the extremely challenging Endeavour Championship for the 5th time.  The Endeavour Championship is an annual invitation only event, held at Burnham-on-Crouch, to determine the overall dinghy champion of champions from the UK’s most popular dinghy racing classes.  Winning the Endeavour Trophy is and always has been recognised as an ultimate dinghy racing achievement.  So to win five times, representing different classes throughout the years, puts Nick amongst the most versatile and talented dinghy sailors in the world. His sailing began with the Frensham Ponds Sailing Club, near Haslemere, Surrey. The other finalists for the YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year award were Ben Ainslie CBE.  Despite having already won three Olympic Gold medals and a Silver, Ben is far from sitting back and basking in the glory of his past successes.  In this pre Olympic year he has worked hard to achieve yet more spectacular results including winning the 2011 Weymouth Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta and the Weymouth and Portland International Regatta (Olympic test event).  His outstanding performance has once again earned him a place within Team GB to compete at the 2012 London Olympics.  Dee Caffari MBE.  In the 2010/11 two handed Barcelona World Race 38 year old Dee and her co skipper, Spaniard Anna Corbella finished in 6th place.  On completion of this race Dee entered the record books as the only woman to have circumnavigated the globe, non stop, three times. The trophy was presented by Geoff Holt MBE, the 2010 YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year winner. The 2011 YJA Pantaenius Young Sailor of the Year was announced at a separate ceremony held on Saturday,  January 7, at the Tullett Prebon London International Boat Show. Annabel Vose and Megan Brickwood from Southampton were presented with the award by Skandia Team GBR’s Iain Percy OBE. Annabel and Megan started 2011 by winning the Ladies World Title in Buenos Aires, Argentina in the 420 World Championships at just 16 years old and despite having a broken mast in one race. They won Silver and were 1st female crew at the Flanders Youth Regatta and won the Bronze medal at the 2011 Open 420 Junior European Championships. Annabel and Megan were selected from amongst a strong field of nominees for this year’s Award, 13 of which were drawn from the RYA Regional Young Sailor of the Year winners who are voted for by RYA affiliated sailing clubs and who were presented with their awards by double Olympic gold medallist Iain Percy, OBE.  These young sailors have made a significant impact on youth sailing, ranging from Gold medal winning achievements and overcoming adversity, to the huge amount of hard work and effort they give back to their clubs.

The YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year Award is open to any British resident or passport holder who has made an outstanding achievement under sail or power during the year. The YJA Pantaenius Young Sailor of the Year awards British youngsters aged 18 and under (as at 31 December), in possession of a British passport (or immediately eligible to receive a British passport), who have made a significant impact on youth sailing. The YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year Award was initiated in 1955 by Sir Max Aitken and now bears the names of the greatest achievers in British yachting circles over the past five decades. Previous winners include Eric Hiscock, Sir Francis Chichester, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Sir Chay Blyth, Sir Edward Heath, Clare Francis, Harold Cudmore, Tracy Edwards MBE, Sir Peter Blake, Dame Ellen MacArthur and Ben Ainslie CBE. The YJA Pantaenius Yachtsman of the Year receives the prestigious Yachtsman of the Year trophy, a silver navigation buoy mounted on a sea of crystal, which was commissioned by the late Sir Max Aitken. The YJA Pantaenius Young Sailor of the Year Award was first presented in 1993. Early winners include Dame Ellen MacArthur and Ben Ainslie CBE, who both went on to win the Yachtsman of the Year title. In addition to nominations from members of the public over 1,700 RYA affiliated clubs have the opportunity to nominate. Plus, the RYA nominates winners from each of its 13 regions. The winners of both awards are nominated by the public and elected by the votes of the Yachting Journalists’ Association (YJA). Pantaenius is one of the leading yacht insurance intermediaries in Europe with offices in eight countries and more than a hundred years of experience in this specialised market. Photos: onEdition

 

See also — an interview with Nick Craig by Robert Deaves