Sail Training International Annual Awards 2012
Sail Training International (STI) has awarded the international sail training community for its outstanding contributions.
The Royal Thames Yacht Club Challenge Cup for ‘Best Newcomer’ was presented to Kapitan Borchardt (Poland) for making the best contribution to The Tall Ships Races 2012 and the Irish Sea Tall Ships Regatta. The judges said, äóìThis vessel made an instant impression in the Tall Ships Races this year taking part in all three race legs, the Cruise in Company and entered into the spirit of international friendship.äó
The Shipping Federation of Great Britain Perpetual Trophy for ‘Great Loyalty’ was presented to Lord Nelson (UK) for entering most events since Tall Ships 2000. She is currently en route to Rio de Janeiro, on the first leg of her round the world voyage to spread her special mission on a truly global level.
The Boston Teapot Trophy was awarded to the ship, which covered the greatest distance in any period of 124hrs (1 October – 30 September) with a young sail training crew on board. Winner for the third year, Statsraad Lehmkuhl (Norway), has a history of exceptionally fast runs. Between 20:00 (GMT/UTC) on 1 December and 24:00 (GMT/UTC) on 6 December last year she achieved an amazing great circle distance of 1,265.92 miles, at an average speed of 10.21 knots.
Sail Trainer of the Year Award (professional, over 25) was presented to Rui Santos, Portugal for his work, attitude and commitment towards sail training, both ashore and aboard different kinds of ships.
Rui participated in three Tall Ships Races aboard Wylde Swan (2010 and 2011) and Lord Nelson (2012). He manages the caravelle Vera Cruz and is also an active and keen sailor aboard it, especially cooking and organising youth activities. He is also the manager of the highly successful youth sail training program äóìJovens e o Maräó. He says he has the äóìbest job in the worldäó
Young Sail Trainer of the Year Award was won by Grace Metcalfe (UK) for setting a shining example of how sail training can give focus and purpose to the life of a young person.
Having dyslexia, Grace had not performed well at school, where she struggled with traditional classroom based education. After her first sail training voyage, aged 17, she became a trainee volunteer watch leader and passed her RYA Day Skipper qualification. Enthused by her experiences she went on to achieve RYA Coastal Skipper, going onto a full time job with Ocean Youth Trust (OYT) North as first mate on James Cook (UK).
She went on to become a commercially endorsed RYA Yachtmaster Offshore, passed her OYT Skipper examination and established herself as one of the foremost sail training skippers in the UK. She has since sailed 34,000 miles, changing the lives and inspiring the futures of well over 1000 young people who have sailed with her. She said, äóìOYT North gave me a sense of belonging and purpose and helped me to get organised.äó
Sail Training Volunteer of the Year was presented jointly to Fernando Gil and Ignacio Hornes (Spain) – two amazing volunteers who have given enormously to sail training since becoming Liaison Officers in 1990. They started sailing by the time they were 10 and have been navigators, sailing teachers, crew members, captains and organisers of Tall Ships Races. They are founding members of the Association Juan de Líçngara; helped organise the Tall Ships Races in La Coruí±a 1990, 1994, 2002, 2006 and were pivotal to the success of the races this year.
Youn
