The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) announced the winners of the 2013 Rolex World Sailor of the Year award at a gala presentation dinner that took place at the Shangrila Barr Al Jissah resort yesterday.
His Majesty King Constatine of Greece delivered a speech at the ceremony where he thanked Oman and the Omani people for their hospitality and commended the country on its efforts to create a sailing legacy that will one day take Oman to the Olympics.
He also said, “These are awards that are most prestigious in our sport and all the sailors that we will honor tonight have inspired us through their accomplishments.”
Oman’s top woman sailor and nominee for the award, Raiya Al Habsi, was one of the first to congratulate this year’s winners: Mathew Belcher (AUS), Jo Aleh & Polly Powrie (NZL).
Al Habsi, 25, was the first Arab sailor to be nominated for the pinnacle global award, which is presented to the world’s most outstanding sailors for achievements from 1 September 2012 to 31 August 2013.
The other female nominees for the award were Deneen Demourkas (USA) and Erika Heineken (USA) in the female category. The other nominees in the male category were François Gabart (FRA), Johnny Heineken (USA), Paul Larsen (AUS) and Ian Williams (GBR).
“On behalf of my teammates in the Oman National Women’s Racing Team, Oman Sail and all of us here in the Sultanate we congratulate Mathew Belcher (AUS) and Jo Aleh & Polly Powrie (NZL) .They are an inspiration to all of us who seek to achieve excellence. It is an honour to meet them and welcome them to our country,” said Al Habsi.
The winners are always announced in November by the world governing body for sailing at the ISAF annual conference which is being held in Oman this year. The achievements of each nominee was also celebrated at the presentation dinner which was attended by ISAF honorary president His Majesty King Constantine of Greece, current president Carlo Croce of Italy, officials of Oman’s Ministry of Sports Affairs, local dignitaries, world sailing luminaries and delegates representing international, regional and national federations and class associations.
Al Habsi said she was humbled to be nominated especially since for her it was part of a team effort that reflected the Sultanate’s pioneering Oman Sail Women’s Programme.
“This is just the start for us. I am confident we will go on to achieve much more together. I particularly hope that my nomination will inspire more Arab women to take up sailing and for their family and friends to also give them the support they need.
“What might seem impossible is achievable with hard work, dedication and support from those who believe in you. My goal now is for our women’s team to win the J80 Worlds and hopefully to one day be the first Arab woman to sail around the world.”
Al Habsi, who only learnt how to sail two years ago when selected to join Oman Sail Women’s Sailing Programme, earned herself a place in the record books this year as the first Omani woman to compete in Britain’s world famous Rolex Fastnet Race as crew aboard Oman’s flagship MOD70 Oman Air- Musandam. To top it they won the race’s MOCRA class.
Her first experience of competitive sailing was with the first all women’s team Al-Thuraya Bank Muscat to compete in the 2012 Sailing Arabia – The Tour, the classic 15 day, 760 nautical mile annual Gulf coast challenge. The team’s fourth place earned her and two team mates the prestigious Al Mara Excellence Award for the most high-achieving women in sport in Oman.
This year she raced again with the all women’s team on Al-Thuraya Bank Muscat in EFG Sailing Arabia – The Tour 2013 before going on to France as skipper of Oman’s first women’s entry in a series of international regattas culminating in the J80 Worlds in Marseille.
David Graham, CEO of Oman Sail, said, “Raiya nomination served as world-wide recognition for what we are achieving through the Oman Sail national sailing initiative. She might not have won this time but she brings great honour to Oman Sail and especially the Women’s Programme.
“She is a humble sailor with a big vision and "can do" attitude. She and her fellow female sailors have a substantial responsibility as role models. It is a job that might look easy, but there are no shortcuts in sport and this is the first major milestone in a long journey.”
Graham said the ISAF recognition was also a credit to Bank Muscat who have sponsored the Women’s Sailing Programme from the outset and demonstrated continued vision and commitment to the community.
In congratulating the 2013 ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year AbdulRazak Ali Issa, Chief Executive of Bank Muscat, said Raiya Al Habsi’s nomination symbolised the great strides made by the Oman Sail Women’s Sailing Programme.
“Raiya is a shining example of how the programme is redefining Oman’s maritime heritage. It goes a long way to help empower women and create a sustainable sailing future for women in the country.”
