Sail Training International Annual Awards

The Annual Sail Training International awards were made during the International Sail Training and Tall Ships Conference in Istanbul, 20-21 November 2009.

The awards presented were:

The ‘Best Newcomer’ Tall Ships Races and Regattas Trophy.  Presented to the ‘best newcomer’ in any of The Tall Ships’ Races and Regattas that Sail Training runs that year. With such a large fleet, there were many worthy candidates but the ‘Best Newcomer’ award for 2009 goes to:

Tre Kronor of Stockholm (Sweden) – Tobias Osterberg

The Great Loyalty’ Tall Ships Races and Regattas Trophy is awarded is awarded to the vessel which has shown ‘great loyalty’ in any of The Tall Ships’ Races and Regattas that Sail Training runs that year. This goes to a vessel that has been entering our races for 16 years. She is a large privately owned yacht that has always encompassed the sail training spirit of friendly competition and international understanding. She also has a wonderful reputation of throwing some of the best parties for the crews and trainees from competing ships. The ‘Great Loyalty’ award for 2009 goes to:

Anwterp Flyer (Belgium) – Gert and Katrien Van den Driesshe

The Boston Teapot Trophy is awarded to the ship which, at any time between 1 October and 30 September, covers the greatest distance in any period of 124hrs, which is 5 days and 4 hours WITH a sail training crew on board.

There were five very respectable entries during this year from ships that had achieved over 1,000 nautical miles but the winning ship covered an outstanding 1,230 nautical miles in the 124 hour period between 20:00 31 July and 24:00 5 August 2009, with speed reaching over 16 knots at times. This year the Boston Teapot trophy is awarded to he Portuguese naval Barque Sagres and here to receive the trophy is her commanding officer; Comandant Luis Mendes

Sail Training International introduced six new annual awards in 2007 to recognise a wider range of individuals and organisations that have made a significant contribution to sail training during the past year.

Sail Trainer of the Year (Professional)

This award was donated by the family and friends of the late Captain Paul Canter and is awarded to professional sail trainers to encourage high-performing individuals who deliver sail training to young people.

This award goes to a highly respected and deeply experienced sail training Captain who has been the Commanding officer of the beautiful schooner Etoile from the French Navy for several years. He has been awarded this trophy because of his outstanding contribution, achievement and leadership during the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009. It would not be fair if we did not recognise the significant support and contribution that his fellow captain of Belle Poule Olivier Bosquain gave to him and the TSAC project but there is just the one award sadly and it goes to:

Lieutenant de Vaisseau Patrice L’Hour

Young Sail Trainer of the Year (Professional)

This award was donated by Tom Gotchberg and is presented to high-performing young individuals who deliver sail training programmes.

This award goes to an exceptional young man who first sailed on his ship as a 16 year old cadet in the summer of 2000 and returned as a trainee for a circumnavigation in 2003-04. He originally joined his ship as a second mate but when the first mate had to drop out he was promoted to Chief Mate where he rose to the challenge and proved himself to be an outstanding teacher, manager and seaman as well as an excellent role model for trainees. From Picton Castle:

Michael Moreland

Sail Training Volunteer of the Year