COMMENT
HOW DO YOU COMPARE ONE SAILING ACHIEVEMENT AGAINST ANOTHER? IT MIGHT BE TIME FOR A RETHINK FOR SAILING’S TOP AWARD
The Yachtsman of the Year Award was set up in 1955 to celebrate the achievements of the best of British sailing. The trophy is awarded by members of the Yachting Journalists’ Association (YJA) to the Briton whose attainment in the previous year ‘most justifies such a title’.
When I won in 2018 I’d only heard the phrase ‘Yachtsman of the Year’ in the documentary Maiden as it was awarded to my fellow ‘yachtsman’ and joint winner, Tracy Edwards MBE. When I heard about my nomination, I had to research the award to figure out what it was even being awarded for.
It appears I wasn’t the only one. Charlie Dixon, who was awarded the Young Sailor of the Year title last month, said when interviewed afterwards: “I didn’t really know much about it until about a week and a half ago. I had to ask my coach ‘What’s this?’”
This year’s winner, talented foiling sailor Hattie Rogers, just became the youngest person to ever be named Yachtsman of the Year (see page 14). Though she said it was a surprise to be nominated, she’s very familiar with the award’s significance – her grandfather, Jeremy Rogers, won the trophy in 1974.
A huge congratulations to both Hattie and Charlie. What an honour it is to have your name on a plaque alongside the greatest sailors of our history – Sir Francis Chichester, Dame Ellen MacArthur (twice), Sir Ben Ainslie (four times and counting...) and many others. The trophy – crafted out of wood and shaped like a buoy – is adorned with knights, Olympic gold medallists, and world record holders.
But sadly it appears the Yachtsman of the Year Award is losing some of its significance within our younger sailing community.
Is this a problem? Yes. Celebrations like this are so important. We all enjoy an opportunity to applaud our heroes. Highlighting inspirational people can be the encouragement we need to aspire to higher goals. The Yachtsman of the Year Award has the potential to drive positivity, growth and ambition into the sailing community. But how do we make it more relevant today?
To have just one award for yachting is impractical. Nominations have included Olympic dinghy racers, record breaking solo circumnavigators, and an adventurer who performed a heroic rescue in the Southern Ocean – all remarkable feats, but incomparable. To award one prize to a single ‘yachtsman’ is like hosting the Baftas and giving just one award to ‘Film-man of the Year’.
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