by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Crusing Information
An 11-person panel was tasked by World Crusing with evaluating the entries and advancing 4 nominees for the Feminine Rolex World Sailor of the Yr. This listing is then put forth for voting, with a public vote to make up 50% of the ultimate choices and 50% contributed by World Crusing’s panel.
Oddly, the general public has been given little or no info for which to base their vote, and nowhere close to the element (I hope) the choice panel had at their disposal. Oddly extra, nevertheless, was the four nominees advanced for the vote.
Not making the minimize was Lara Vadlau (AUT) who gained the Paris 2024 Gold medal as helm within the first ever Combined Dinghy (470) occasion. On this period of feminine development, and as helms are likely to get extra credit score, Vadlau’s omission is shocking as she was certainly one of solely three feminine helms within the prime ten.
Additionally lacking the minimize was Caterina Banti, who alongside helm Ruggero Tita, gained the 2022 awards. This duo once more obliterated the Mixed Multihull field at Paris 2024 alongside profitable the World Championship. Tita is a nominee on the men’s list, however Banti’s equal achievements weren’t sufficient.
With solely 4 nominees, not everybody might make the 2024 shortlist however there’s a vital anomaly chosen – Vuyisile Jaca (RSA). Whereas the opposite three have been Paris 2024 Gold medalist, Jaca’s 2024 achievement was as crew – not skipper – on the all-women team that won the 2023-24 Ocean Globe Race.
This was the inaugural version of this absolutely crewed, retro race that was within the spirit of the 1973 Whitbread Around the World Race. Racing was with out computer systems, GPS, and high-tech supplies, with navigation utilizing sextants and paper charts. Jaca was certainly one of 13 crew on a 1979 aluminum-built 58-footer.
In an ideal world, the nominees would spotlight all aspects of the game, however Olympic years do spotlight the gold medalists. The Ocean Globe Race is fairly removed from elite offshore competitors, however as Jaca represents South Africa, is World Crusing promoting diversity and inclusion?
If World Crusing wished to spotlight how an all-women staff gained this retro race, why not advance English skipper Heather Thomas? What Banti did as crew wasn’t ok, however Jaca made the minimize? She was the first African black woman to win an around the world race, which is unquestionably an achievement, however is it worthy of this award? Standing by for the vote outcomes.
2024 Rolex World Sailor of the Yr finalists – Feminine
• Odile van Aanholt & Annette Duetz (NED): 49erFX – World Championship (1st), Olympics (1st)
• Marit Bouwmeester (NED): ILCA 6 – World Championship (eleventh), Olympics (1st)
• Vuyisile Jaca (RSA): Farr 58 – Ocean Globe Race (1st)
• Ellie Aldridge (GBR) Formulation Kite – World Championship (2nd), Olympics (1st)
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