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November 24 2006
FINAL VOTING IN THE RAYMARINE/YJA YOTY AND YSOTY AWARDS HAS COMMENCED - MEMBERS PLEASE VOTE NOW
The Public Nominations for the 2006 Raymarine YJA Yachtsman of the Year and Young Sailor of the Year Awards have now closed and the finalists are listed below.
Members should now cast their votes for one person from each category, before midnight on December 5th, 2006, by completing the voting form and returning it to the YJA Secretary by email, or by post to Mrs Amanda Fisher, Bailiff's Cottage, Harefield Farm, Hogbens Hill, Selling, Faversham, Kent ME13 9QZ
Raymarine YJA Yachtsman of the Year Finalists
Nominee: Dee Caffari
Age: 33 years
Achievement:
Set a new world record – the first woman to sail single handed, non stop around the world against prevailing winds and currents. 178 day round the world challenge from 21 November 2005 to 18 May 2006.
Nominee: Nic Asher & Elliot Willis
Age: 21 years and 23 years
Achievement:
470 World Champions - winning the 470 World Championships in China – first British team to win the 470 Worlds since Nigel Buckley and Pete Newlands back in the ‘80s. Part of Team GBR and 3rd in the 470 Olympic Trials, held in China earlier this summer. In 2005 they were 6th at the 470 Worlds in San Francisco.
Nominee: Steve Curtis
Age: 42 years
Achievement:
Has won an unbelievable 7 Class 1 World Championships and is considered the best international powerboat racer of all times. Earlier in 2006 Steve was awarded an MBE in the Queen's 80th birthday honours list.
Raymarine Young Sailor of the Year Finalists
Nominee: Tom Phipps
Age: 17 years
Achievement:
Gold Medal in Hobie 16 Class at Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships July 2006. This was Tom's third medal at this his last Youth event. He now has two golds and a silver from this top level youth regatta, a feat few have achieved. On this occasion he won with Richard Glover a new partner for this event following injury to his usual sailing partner. Tom is one of the most successful youth sailors that GBR has produced. In addition, at the last ISAF Youth Worlds Tom shared his experience with what was a young GBR youth squad providing advice on how to deal with a competition of this level and on techniques, as well as motivating and inspiring the squad. The squad came 2 nd in the team prize. Lastly he is an excellent ambassador for the UK.
Nominee: Dylan Fletcher
Age: 18 years
Achievement:
Dylan achieved a silver medal 29er at the World Champions 2006 held in Weymouth and became 29er Youth World Champion. The 29er is an open class where there is no age limit, so it is a fiercely competitive class with over 130 boats. Dylan then moved on to sailing a 49er and progressed into the Olympic Transitional Squad. He then jumped straight into the Olympic Development Squad where he is already impressing the Olympic coaches. To have made the jump from youth sailing into the Olympic Development Squad in such a short space of time is really outstanding. Watch this space.
Nominee: Dan Simpson
Age: 16 years
Achievement:
Dan has been a great help with the school Sailing Association at Farmoor (Oxford) encouraging young people to sail. Whilst still at school he gained his Powerboat II, First Aid, Dingy Instructor and Start Windsurfing Instructor qualifications. Windsurfing: progressed through the RYA Team 15; Slalom racing (UKWA Junior Champion 05), Formula racing (Vice World Champion 04 and 05), Speed Sailing (Weymouth Speed Week Youth Champion 05); London Windsurfing Association ‘Young Windsurfer of the Year' 2005. Dan still races but his focus has shifted toward passing on his passion for watersports to others, such as windsurfing across the English Channel from Dover to Calais and back to raise money for the Oxford Children's Hospital Campaign. Now aged 16 Dan has left school and is working as a watersports instructor at Farmoor and helping with the T15 Farmoor Flyers.
Nominee: Katie Miller
Age: 18 years
Achievement:
Single handed circumnavigation of the UK in a Corribee, in aid of The Ellen MacArthur Trust to enable even more children with cancer to experience the thrills and beauty of sailing. An inspirational three month voyage from 23 April to 18 July 2006. Katie's initial plans were formulated in 2004 when she passed her day Skipper course in Minorca. After two years of hard work she completed her successful challenge.