YJA and MS Amlin announce ‘International Sailor of the Decade’ award

After cancelling the YJA MS Amlin Awards Gala Dinner in September, in addition to taking the decision not to award the ‘Yachtsman of the Year’, ‘Young Sailor of the Year’ or ‘Young Blogger of the Year’ in 2020, both the Yachting Journalists’ Association (YJA) and MS Amlin Boat Insurance are delighted to announce a brand new award, the YJA MS Amlin ‘International Sailor of the Decade’ award.

The award aims to recognise the achievements of the sailors who have had the greatest positive impact on sailing.

“We are absolutely delighted that MS Amlin’s support of the YJA will continue with the creation of this new award, one that will honour such fabulous achievements from the world of boating,” says YJA chairman, Cliff Webb. “It is an exciting response to this difficult situation with the pandemic, one that has affected water sports globally. Establishing a new award with a new trophy offers YJA members the opportunity to celebrate the greatest participants in our sport over the last decade.”

“MS Amlin Boat Insurance is delighted to be supporting this new initiative from the YJA. As the decade draws to a close in a year which has seen little competitive sailing and so much gloom, we have a great opportunity to celebrate all that has gone before and create a prestigious new award for the sailing fraternity to aim for every ten years,” says Paul Knox-Johnston, from MS Amlin. “There have been so many great sailing achievements since 2010 and I look forward to a long list of entries from around the world for the YJA to deliberate on.”

Nominations for the YJA MS Amlin ‘International Sailor of the Decade’ will be open to all from September 10th until October 23rd, with the presentation of the award being held during the Yacht Racing Forum on November 23rd.