(From the ISAF website: www.sailing.org)

ISAF and Rolex are proud to announce the shortlisted nominees for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards 2007.

The criteria for nomination for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards 2007 was "outstanding sailing achievement" in the period 1 September 2006 to 31 August 2007. ISAF received numerous nominations for sailors from across the world and in a variety of disciplines who met the criteria.

The nominees are:
Female
Sarah AYTON, Sarah WEBB & Pippa WILSON (GBR)
Marcelien DE KONING & Lobke BERKHOUT (NED)
Claire LEROY (FRA)
Evi VAN ACKER (BEL)

Male
Ed BAIRD (USA)
Franck CAMMAS (FRA)
Vincenzo ONORATO (ITA)
Robert SCHEIDT & Bruno PRADA (BRA)
Rohan VEAL (AUS)

The ISAF Member National Authorities (MNAs) - the national governing bodies for sailing around the world - are now invited to vote for the one female nominee and one male nominee whom they feel deserves the honour of receiving the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award 2007.

The winners will be announced at the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards Dinner and Presentation which is being held on Tuesday 6 November 2007. The venue for the events is the beautiful Penha Longa, a historic and gracefully restored monastery in the hills just outside Estoril in Portugal.

Each winner will be presented with the prestigious ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award Trophy and a distinctive Rolex timepiece.