London,England (January 12, 2016) - Ian Walker was today named boats.com YJA Yachtsman of the Year by the Yachting Journalists’ Association at a prestigious awards ceremony. Eleanor Poole was named boats.com YJA Young Sailor of the Year and distinguished yachting cartoonist Mike Peyton was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Yachtsman of the Year Award is one of Britain’s most coveted sporting trophies and 2015 marks its Diamond Jubilee. preceding winners include Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, or Dame Ellen MacArthur and Sir Ben Ainslie. It’s regarded by many as “the knighthood of yachting” and is awarded by the Yachting Journalists’ Association.
Ian Walker,from Warsash in Hampshire, became the first British skipper to win the Volvo Ocean Race in the event's 37 year history, and when he led Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing to victory in the 2014-15 event. Ian and his team also won the in-port race series and set a 24-hour distance record of an incredible 550.82 nautical miles.
This performance impressed the Country’s foremost sailing journalists,with YJA members voting him the eventual winner from a closely contested shortlist of nominees that included Match Racing World Champion Ian Williams from Lymington, and Finn course champion Giles Scott, and from Weymouth.
Full report... click here.
Source: sailingscuttlebutt.com