Issue date
This morning (NZ time) ISAF announced the 2014 winners of the ISAF Rolex World Sailor Awards.
Named as finalists after an amazing year New Zealand’s own Peter Burling and Blair Tuke have missed out on the title which went to Oracle USA helmsman Jimmy Spithill of Australia.
Before leaving for the Awards ceremony in Palma de Mallorca, Spain Burling and Tuke spoke about what the nomination meant to them…
Burling says "It is a huge honour to make it to the final and have the chance of adding our names to this list."
“I feel very humbled for Pete and I to be nominated for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year award,” says Blair Tuke. “Some amazing sailors and some of my sailing heroes have won this award before so just to be nominated is pretty unreal!”
The list of achievements amassed by the New Zealand pair during the Awards time window is quite phenomenal.
ISAF writes, “New Zealand's Peter Burling and Blair Tuke have been a class above the rest in the 49er demonstrating exceptional teamwork, athletic prowess and drive that cannot be rivalled. Over the nomination period the Kiwis brushed aside their challengers with ease, finding an edge that many can only dream of.”
“They took their first world title in Marseille, France in 2013 and in their defence of the title at the Santander 2014 ISAF Worlds they crushed the opposition, sealing gold with a 46 point margin.”
A total of five finalists for were named for 2014 ISAF Rolex Male Sailor of the Year and Burling and Tuke are up against Australian Men’s 470 combination Mat Belcher and Will Ryan and Great Britain’s Giles Scott after his impressive run in the Finn class. Accomplished skipper and tactician Bill Hardesty of the USA is in the mix, as is Australia’s Jimmy Spithill for his role in the Oracle America’s Cup 2013 victory.
The ISAF World Sailor Awards were launched in 1994, and just three other New Zealand men feature in the previous winners list. They include Sir Russell Coutts who has won ISAF Male Sailor of the Year twice, in 1995 and 2003, Mike Sanderson in 2006 and Sir Peter Blake in 1994. In 2013 Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie won the ISAF Rolex World Female Sailor of the Year Award and become the first New Zealand women to hold that title.
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Burling and Tuke’s Major achievements (1 Sept 2013 to 21stSept 2014)
World Championship
1st - Santander 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships, Santander, ESP - Sep 2014
1st - 49er World Championship, Marseille, FRA - Sep 2013
ISAF Sailing World Cup
1st - ISAF SWC Hyeres, FRA - Apr 2014
1st - ISAF SWC Mallorca, ESP - Mar 2014
1st - 49er European Championship Helsinki, FIN - Jul 2014
Other
1st - 2014 Aquece Rio - International Sailing Regatta, Rio de Janeiro, BRA - Aug 2014
3rd - Extreme Sailing Series St Petersburg, RUS - June 2014
3rd - Extreme Sailing Series Qingdao, Qingdao, CHN - May 2014
1st - Red Bull Youth America's Cup - Peter (helm) and Blair (Tactics)
Signed with ETNZ America's Cup Team
Burling
2nd - Auckland to Fiji Race (50 ft canting keel division) - Jun 2014
1st - A-Class New Zealand Nationals, Takapuna NZL - Feb 2014
3rd - A-Class Worlds, Takapuna NZL - Feb 2014
2nd - Rolex Sydney Hobart, Pretty Fly3, IRC Division 0 - Dec 2013
2nd - NZ Match Racing Nationals, - Nov 2013 (tactician)
10th - Moth Worlds, Kaneohe, USA - Oct 2013
2nd - China Cup, CHN - Oct 2013 (tactician, Beneteau 40.7)
Tuke
1st - Auckland to Fiji Race (50 ft canting keel division) - Jun 2014
2nd - A-Class Worlds, Takapuna NZL - Feb 2014
5th - Rolex Sydney Hobart, Zefiro, IRC Division 1 - Dec 2013
Notes to Editors:
Burling and Tuke are available for in person or telephone interviews prior to their departure on Sunday evening by arrangement. Please contact Jodie Bakewell-White (details below).
About ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year
The ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards are the highest award a sailor can receive in recognition of his/her outstanding achievements by the world of sailing. The Awards are presented every November to one male and one female winner.
Launched in 1994, the ISAF World Sailor of the Year Awards are recognized as the pinnacle award a sailor can receive in recognition of his/her outstanding achievements by the world of sailing.
The Awards are presented to sailors by sailors. Two Awards, one for a female sailor/crew and one for a male sailor/crew, are presented each year during the ISAF Annual Conference in November. The ISAF Annual Conference is a weeklong series of meetings, which brings together the decision makers in the sport to debate the issues affecting the future of sailing. Sailors selected as nominees for the awards may represent any aspect of the sport.
For more information see the ISAF website or contact:
Jodie Bakewell-White, YNZ Communications Manager
Email: jodie@yachtingnz.org.nz
Tel. 021 709 065
