Sailing is truly a life sport, even at the pointy end of the competitive pyramid. Today, two sailors born sixty years apart won prestigious British yachting awards at the same luncheon.

Ian Atkins (President boats.com), Sir Robin Knox-Johnson (Winner Yachtsman of the Year), Bob Fisher (Chairman, YJA)

Ian Atkins (boats.com President, left) and Bob Fisher (YJA Chairman, right) present Sir Robin Knox-Johnson with the Yachtsman of the Year award.



Sir Robin Knox-Johnston was rewarded (again) for his offshore sailing skills; he finished third in class in the 2014 Route du Rhum solo transatlantic race. It’s the fourth time he won the award; the first time was back in 1969—30 years before Emma Wilson was born.

Emma Wilson RSX Paul Wyeth

At the other end of the generational gap is 15 year old windsurfer Emma Wilson, who was named the boats.com YJA Young Sailor of the Year. Photo courtesy Paul Wyeth/RYA.



Emma won the 2014 Youth Worlds, as well as both the under-17 and under-19 world championship titles and the European under-17 title. She has her sights set on the 2020 Olympics.

Currently representing the middle of this lifelong spectrum was Ben Ainslie, who accepted Iain Percy's special Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Bart’s Bash.

All these sailors have won very different endurance tests, at very different points in their lives. Congratulations to all, and here's hoping that at age 75, Ben, Iain, and Emma will all still be winning races too.

Watch a quick video of the awards.


Written by: Carol Cronin
Carol Cronin has published several novels about the Olympics, sailing, hurricanes, time travel, and old schooners. She spends as much time on the water as possible, in a variety of boats, though most have sails.