Background

The ISAF World Sailor of the Year Awards were launched in 1994 by the International Sailing Federation

International Sailing Federation

The International Sailing Federation is recognised by the International Olympic Committee as the world governing body for the sport of sailing....

. The awards are recognised as the pinnacle award a sailor can receive in recognition of his/her outstanding achievements by the world of sailing

Sailing

Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...

.

Summary of Winners

Year	Male winner(s)	Female winner(s)
1994	United Kingdom Robin Knox-Johnston Robin Knox-Johnston Sir William Robert Patrick "Robin" Knox-Johnston, CBE, RD and bar is an English sailor. He was the first man to perform a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe and was the second winner of the Jules Verne Trophy . For this he was awarded with Blake the ISAF Yachtsman of the Year award...	Spain Theresa Zabell Theresa Zabell Theresa Zabell Lucas is a Spanish sailor who won gold medal both in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, and in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. A member of Real Club de Mediterráneo Málaga she competes in the 470 class.-References:*...
1995		France Isabelle Autissier Isabelle Autissier Isabelle Autissier is a French sailor, navigator, writer, and broadcaster. She is celebrated for being the first woman to have completed a solo world navigation in competition ....
1996		Hong Kong Lee Lai Shan Lee Lai Shan Lee Lai-Shan MBE BBS is a former world champion and Olympic gold medal-winning professional windsurfer from Hong Kong. She is the first and last ever athlete to win an Olympic medal representing Hong Kong, not as part of China...
1997		Ukraine Ruslana Taran Ruslana Taran Ruslana Oleksiïvna Taran is a Ukrainian sailor.- References :* at sports-reference.com...  Ukraine Elena Pakholchik
1998
1999		Netherlands Margriet Matthijsse Margriet Matthijsse Margriet Matthijsse is a Dutch sailor and Olympic champion.She received a silver medal in the Europe Class at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, and again a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney....
2000	United States Magnus Liljedahl Magnus Liljedahl Magnus Liljedahl is an American sailor and Olympic champion. He competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where he received a gold medal in the star class, together with Mark Reynolds....	United Kingdom Shirley Robertson Shirley Robertson Shirley Ann Robertson, OBE is a Scottish sailor and Olympic gold medallist. She made it in the history books by becoming the first British woman to win two Olympic gold medals at consecutive games, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004....
2001
2002
2003	Switzerland Russell Coutts Russell Coutts Sir Russell Coutts, KNZM, CBE is a competitive sailor. His achievements include a Gold medal in the Finn Class in the 1984 Olympic Games, winning the America's Cup four times, the ISAF World Youth championships, three World Match Racing Championships, numerous international match race wins and...	Norway Siren Sundby Siren Sundby Siren Sundby is a former Norwegian sailor.She won an Olympic gold medal in the Europe-class in the 2004 Summer Olympics...
2004	Brazil Robert Scheidt Robert Scheidt Robert Scheidt is a renowned Brazilian sailor, having won two gold medals and two silver medals from four Olympic Games...	Greece Sofia Bekatorou Sofia Bekatorou Sofia Bekatorou , is a Greek sailing champion.She has participated in over 470 main class events including 2004 Summer Olympics sailing competition, where she won gold medal in the women's double-handed dinghy event in the 470 with her pair Emilia Tsoulfa...    Greece Emilia Tsoulfa Emilia Tsoulfa Emilia Tsoulfa is a Greek sailing champion.She has participated in over 470 main class events including 2004 Olympic Sailing Competition, where she won gold medal in the women's double-handed dinghy event in the 470 with her pair Sofia Bekatorou...
2005
2006	New Zealand Mike Sanderson Mike Sanderson Mike Sanderson is a New Zealand sailor. In 2006 he married British round-the-world yachtswoman Emma Richards in Cowes, UK....	United States Paige Railey Paige Railey Paige Railey is an American sailor who races in the Laser Radial division. She has been a member of U.S. Sailing Team Alphagraphics since 2005 and is also a member of the Harken and McLube Speedteam....
2007	United States Ed Baird Ed Baird Ed Baird is an American sailor. He was a coach of the 1995 America's Cup-winning Team New Zealand and a helmsman for the 2007 America's Cup-winning Alinghi syndicate....	France Claire Leroy Claire Leroy Claire Leroy is a French sailor. In 2007 and 2008 she won the world championships in female match racing. She was named the International Sailing Federation's female World Sailor of the Year for 2007.-References:...
2008		Italy Alessandra Sensini Alessandra Sensini Alessandra Sensini is an Italian windsurfer. She is a 4-time Olympian, winning a gold medal and two additional bronze medals. She also won 3 gold and 2 silver medals at World Championships, as well as 3 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals at European Championships...
2009
2010
2011

2011 Awards

The awards were held in San Jan Puerto Rico

Male
Winner

and

Runners Up
- Match Racing World Champion & ISAF Sailing World Cup Champion
- Melges 24 and 32 World Champion
- Outright World Speed Record Holder
- International Moth World Champion and 49er Champion


Female
Winner

Runner Ups
- Record Breaking Round The World Yachtswoman
- Double Professional Windsurfing Association World Champion
- ISAF Sailing World Cup Champion and IFDS World Champion

2010 Awards

Male
Winner




Runners Up
(
&




Female
Winners




Runners Up


&

2009 Awards

Male
Winner

Runner Ups





Female
Winner

Runners Up

2008 Awards

Male
Winner




Runners Up





Female
Winner

Runners Up
, &

&

2007 Awards

Male
Winner




Runners Up


&



Female
Winner




Runners Up
, &
&

2006 Awards

Male
Winner

Runners Up





Female
Winner

Runners Up
, and

2005 Awards

Male
Winner




Runners Up






Female
Winner

Runner Ups

2004 Awards

Male
Winner

Runners Up


&


&
&

&

Female
Winner

&

Runners Up


, &

2003 Awards

Male
Winner

Representing SUI

Runners Up
&

&



&



Female
Winner

Runners Up
, &

, , &
, &
&

2002 Awards

Male
Winner

Runners Up

&



Female
Winner

&

Runners Up

&

2001 Awards

Male
Winner

Runners Up







Female
Winner

Runners Up
&

2000 Awards

Male
Winner

and

Runners Up

, and
and
and

• Team New Zealand (NZL)
  and
  

Female
Winner

Runners Up

and

1999 Awards

Male
Winner

Runners Up


(SWE)
(NZL)
(AUS)

Female
Winner

Runners Up
(NZL)
(NED)

1998 Awards

Male
Winner

Runners Up

• EF Language - Winner of the Whitbread Round the World Race now the Volvo Ocean Race
  Volvo Ocean Race
  The Volvo Ocean Race is a yacht race around the world, held every three years. It is named after its current owner, Volvo...
  
   (Multi-National) skippered by Paul Cayard
  Paul Cayard
  Paul Pierre Cayard is an American yachtsman and professional sailor. He has competed at multiple world championship level sailing events, including the America's Cup, the Volvo Ocean Race and the Olympic Games. In 1998 he was selected as the Rolex Yachtsmen of the Year...
  
   USA

Female
Winner

Runners Up

• Crew of EF Education - Female Entry in the Whitbread Round the World Race now the Volvo Ocean Race
  Volvo Ocean Race
  The Volvo Ocean Race is a yacht race around the world, held every three years. It is named after its current owner, Volvo...
  
   (Multi-National)
  
• Crew of Royal Sun Alliance (Multi-National) skippered by Tracey Edwards

1997 Awards

Male
Winner

Runners Up

and crew


Female
Winner

and

Runners Up

1996 Awards

Male
Winner

Runners Up






Female
Winner

Runners Up

1995 Awards

Male
Winner

Runners Up

- Dominating the Mumm 36 Class

and



Female
Winner

Runners Up

- Multiple ISAF Youth Worlds Titles

• Entire Mighty Mary Crew (USA) - Female Crewed America Cup Campaign
  
  /
  

1994 Awards

Male
Winner

and

Runners Up
(FRA/SUI)






Female
Winner

Runner Ups

Links

ISAF World Sailor Microsite