Global Expert Panel Announced for Judging the 2024 World Sailing Awards
by World Sailing 3 Oct 07:29 PDT
World Sailing Awards 2024 will celebrate the best in the sport © World Sailing
World Sailing has revealed the 11 distinguished sporting figures who will comprise the judging panel for this year’s World Sailing Awards.
With a focus on sailing, sustainability, and maritime expertise, the panel’s role includes assessing all entries and creating a shortlist from which the winners will be selected.
Finalists will be disclosed on 16 October 2024.
Subsequently, a public vote will determine the winners.
Winners will be announced during a live gala award ceremony in Singapore on 5 November 2024, part of the World Sailing Annual Conference.
Meet the Judges:
Julie Duffus: A seasoned professional in sustainability, Julie heads sustainability at the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Her work emphasizes challenging strategies and provides management and strategic advice for diverse international projects. She also manages relationships with UN agencies and possesses a comprehensive understanding of how societies, economies, and environments interact to promote sustainable development and community resilience against both environmental and political changes.
Nuno Gomes: An ardent sailor and geologist, Nuno serves as a university lecturer and oversees the Environmental Engineering program at Universidade Católica de Angola. He is on the board of SOAPRO S.A., an engineering and environmental consultancy in Angola, where he leads renewable energy and environmental initiatives. Additionally, Nuno is a member of the Angolan National Olympic Committee, Vice President of both the Angolan Nautical Sports Federation and the African Sailing Confederation, and part of the World Sailing Sustainability Commission.
Sarah Kenny: A prominent sports attorney, Sarah holds the position of Vice-President at World Sailing and chairs the Advisory Council of Sport Integrity Australia. Previously, she was a director and Vice President of Australian Sailing and served on the selection panel for Australia’s Olympic Sailing teams. She competed internationally in windsurfing and recently returned to racing in the Windsurfer Class.
Pippa Kenton-Page: Pippa claimed her first Olympic gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Games, teaming up with gold medalists Sarah Ayton and Sarah Webb in the Yngling class. She secured gold at the 2007 and 2008 World Championships in Cascais and Miami, respectively, and won the 2008 European Championships. Her remarkable achievements earned her an MBE in the 2009 New Year Honours. Currently, she teaches and coaches young sailors at Dubai Offshore Sailing Club and serves as Executive Director of the International 29er Association and as a Race Coach.
Santiago Lange: The 2016 Rolex World Sailor of the Year, Santiago is an Olympic sailor and naval architect from Argentina, having represented his country at the Olympics seven times over 32 years, securing a gold and two bronze medals, along with four world titles. His gold medal at Rio 2016 was particularly inspiring following his recovery from lung cancer in 2015. He has also competed in prestigious events like the Ocean Race and America’s Cup.
Lorraine McKenna: As Sponsorship Director at 11th Hour Racing, Lorraine collaborates with events, athletes, and teams to achieve sustainability objectives. Before joining 11th Hour Racing in 2019, she spent eight years in the sailing industry focusing on marketing and sponsorship. Lorraine appreciates the potential of sports platforms and athletes to advocate for sustainability and ocean stewardship, emphasizing the need for collaboration to amplify impact and promote change.
Andy Rice: Andy has won championships as both a helm and crew in various skiffs and dinghies, including the 49er and International 14 classes. A sailing journalist, he has reported on major events from the Olympics to the America’s Cup, The Ocean Race, and the Vendée Globe. He writes and commentates at numerous events across the Olympic circuit and has developed an online program, Road To Gold, with Olympic coach Hamish Willcox, aimed at helping sailors and coaches construct successful sailing campaigns.
Cory Sertl: A World Sailing Vice-President, Cory represented the United States across three Olympic cycles, clinching victory at the 1988 IYRU Women’s World Championships in the 470 class and earning the US Sailing Yachtswoman of the Year title twice, in 1996 and 2001. Having served on the World Sailing Council for 12 years and as US Sailing President from 2019-2021, she actively engages in the sailing community, coaching and racing from her Rhode Island home.
Susie Tomson: Starting her career in marine and coastal resource management, Susie has applied her expertise to the sports sector since 2001. She has been integral in developing sustainability programs across various sporting organizations, including the Royal Yachting Association and two America’s Cup teams, along with her contributions to the 2012 London Olympics and the 2014 Ryder Cup. More recently, she conducted an environmental evaluation for the International and Para World Athletics in London.
Anne-Cécile Turner: An award-winning sustainability expert, Anne-Cécile has over 20 years of global experience in sustainability, marketing, sponsorship, and management. She has collaborated with major NGOs, media outlets, and sporting events. In 2008, she founded Blueshift, a sustainability consultancy agency, and later became the director for the Race for Water Foundation in 2011. Co-founder of bloomUp (formerly The SHIFT), she has also served as Sustainability Director for The Ocean Race and Campaign Director for the Sails of Change Foundation, developing programs for nature conservation and the Sports for Nature framework.
Lijia Xu: Known for being China’s first gold medalist in dinghy sailing, Lijia competed in three Olympics, winning bronze in Beijing 2008 and gold in London 2012, receiving the 2012 Rolex World Sailor of the Year award for her achievements. Over her 20-year athletic career, she triumphed in all major competitions in China, Asia, and globally. Currently, she is involved in media for international events, including the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics, SailGP, The Ocean Race, and the 2023 Allianz Sailing World Championships, while actively promoting ocean health.
The World Sailing Awards celebrate excellence, accomplishments, and lifelong contributions to the sport over the past year.
Seven awards will be presented, including the Rolex World Sailor of the Year for outstanding achievement, the 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award, the highest accolade for success in marine sustainability, and Team of the Year.
New this year is the Young World Sailor of the Year award for sailors under 21 and the World Sailing Technology Award, fostering innovation within the sport. The President’s Development Award and the Beppe Croce Trophy will also be awarded.
For complete details about the World Sailing Awards and to cast your vote, visit the World Sailing website.
