img4172London, England: Ben Ainslie from Lymington, Hampshire was named today as the 2002 YJA Yachtsman of the Year. He won this top yachting award for an unprecedented third time ahead of four other top British names in the sport - Route du Rhum Transatlantic Race winner Ellen MacArthur, four-time World Class 1 Powerboat champion Steve Curtis, Star Class world champions Iain Percy and Steve Mitchell, and Peter Harrison and his GBR America's Cup Challenge team.

The 2002 Young Sailor of the Year award, which is supported by MDL, goes to 14-year-old Hannah Mills from Glamorgan, Wales following her success during the past year in winning the Optimist National Championship and finishing 9th overall and 2nd girl at the World Championship in Texas - the second best result British result ever, and best ever for a girl.

She beat six other promising British youth sailors including 18 year old 420 Class champion Nic Asher from Lowestoft, Laser sailor Giles Scott from Cambridge, 420 champions Charlotte Savage and Maia Walsh from Birmingham, and Youth World Champions Pippa Wilson and Jenny Marks from Lymington and Pitsford.

The YJA Yachtsman of the Year and Young Sailor of the Year Awards are voted on by members of the Yachting Journalists' Association who represent all disciplines of the sport. The YJA Yachtsman of the Year Award is now in its 47th year. The award is presented to the person whose achievement in the past year most justifies the title. It was instigated in 1955 by Sir Max Aitken and has been the premier award in British yachting ever since.

The YJA Young Sailor of the Year Award which has been actively supported by the marina group MDL for several years, recognises the achievement and endeavour by a young sailor in any discipline of the sport. Organised by the YJA in conjunction with the Royal Yachting Association though its 13 regions, it is open to any person under the age of 19 at 31st December 2002.

Personal profiles of YJA Yachtsman of the Year Nominees


Winner: Ben Ainslie - Lymington, Hampshire. Following his Gold Medal winning performance in the Laser Class at the Sydney Olympics, Ben changed up to the Finn singlehander class and in his first year, won the Finn Gold Cup (world championship), European Championship and Greek Pre-Olympic regatta. Ben won the YJA Young Sailor of the Year Award in 1993 and the YJA Yachtsman of the Year in 1999 and again in 2000 as a member of the British Olympic Yachting Team.

Ellen MacArthur - Cowes, Isle of Wight. Winner of the Yachtsman of the Year in 2001, Ellen returned to the sea in 2002 to take line honours in the Route du Rhum transatlantic race, beating not only tough competition, but atrocious weather conditions that knocked out so many within the fleet. Ellen was the first winner of the YJA Yachtsman of the Year Award in 1995 and won the Yachtsman of the Year title in 2001.

Iain Percy & Steve Mitchell - Following his Gold Medal winning performance in the Finn Class at the Sydney Olympics, Iain Percy from Winchester decided to team up with Steve Mitchell from Weybridge, Surrey for a second Olympic campaign, this time in the very demanding Star keelboat. Remarkably, they won the Spa pre-Olympic Regatta before going on to California to win the Star World Championship in their first year of competing in the Class.

Peter Harrison and the GBR Challenge - Cowes, Isle of Wight. It is 15 years since Britain last challenged for the America's Cup. Harrison and his Team were nominated for picking up the challenge and making the sport of sailing front line news during the Louis Vuitton Challenge Trials.

Steve Curtis - Southampton, Hampshire. Racing with Bjorn Gjelsten as the ?Spirit of Norway' team, this pair drove their 170mph Class 1 powerboat ?Colorline' to victory in 5 national championships, to win the European and World Championship titles, as well as the World Times Trial Championship. This is the 4th time that Curtis has won the World Class 1 title, making him the most successful powerboat racer ever.

Personal profiles of YJA Young Sailor of the Year


Winner: Hannah Mills (14) - from Glamorgan, Wales made headlines in 2002 for bending the ear of Tony Blair to back London's bid for the 2012 Olympic Games because she wants to win a Gold Medal in home waters. She has also been making a name for herself in the Optimist Class, becoming the first girl on record to win the National Title. She went on to finish 2nd girl and 9th overall at the World Championship in Texas - the second best British result ever and best ever for a girl. To cap an exceptional season, she also finished 2nd overall in the British selection trials this year.

Nic Asher (18) - from Lowestoft, Suffolk enjoyed a remarkable year in the 420 Class. Racing with Elliot Willis as his crew (who is too old for nomination) he steered to 1st place at the Vilamoura Carnival Regatta in Portugal, the Kiel International Regatta, and British Open 420 Selector Trials. Nic also counts 2nd placings at the RYA Youth National Championships and 420 Open World Championship this year - the latter being the highest British placing for 8 years.

Giles Scott, (15) - from Cambridge is one of the rising stars in the Laser Class. Giles finished 6th overall in his first Europa event in France before going on to take 3rd place at both the World Radial Championship in Canada and the Europeans in Austria. Now a member of the British International. training squad, Giles finish 1st youth in one qualifying event this year, and runner-up in two others. To cap a remarkable year, he also finished 1st Youth and 4th overall at the recent Laser National Inland Championships.

Charlotte Savage & Maia Walsh (17) - from Edgbaston, Birmingham are members of Britain's 420 International. training squad. They began the year with a 4th at the Vilamoura Carnival Regatta in Portugal and finished 1st females and 3rd overall at the Youth Nationals. Other results include 2nd females at the 420 National Championship, 1st overall at the Dutch National Championship where they won five of the 6 races, and a 3rd at the 420 Inland Championships.

Pippa Wilson (16) &Jenny Marks (18) - Pippa from Lymington, Hampshire, and Jenny from Pitsford, Northants, teamed up in 2002 to compete in the 29er Class. The pair won their class at the RYA Youth National Championships and went on to win the ISAF Youth World Championship title in Canada. Due to other commitments, Jenny then stepped off the boat and Pippa went on to win the 29er European title, this time with Mari Shepherd on the front trapeze wire.

For further information on these awards and pictures please contact:

Barry Pickthall
Yachting Journalists' Association
E-mail: [email protected]