The sustainability program developed by the CV Ballena Alegre during the World Cup of Optimist supports the candidacy of the Costa Brava club for the 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award (Photo Marc Graupera)

World Sailing has released the Rolex World Sailor of the Year, 11th Hour Racing Sustainability and Team of the Year this year, with the Ballena Alegre Sailing Club as a candidate for the sustainability award for the program launched at the Optimist 2023 World Championship.

The nominees for each prize represent the greatest achievements of sport over the past year. From medallists at the Allianz Sailing World Championships and World Sailing special event winners to global plusmarquists, to those who have made great progress in modernizing sport at all levels.

The vote for the three awards has been open since yesterday and all sailing lovers are invited to help decide the winners. The vote is closed on Monday, 30 October, at midnight UTC. You can vote on this link. This year's awards will be delivered during the World Sailing Awards ceremony on Tuesday, November 14, in Malaga.

Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2023 (Women)

Betsy Alison: Alison demonstrated great courage with victory in Hansa 303 at the Allianz Sailing World Championships, less than a year after surgery to remove a cancer tumor from the American hip.

Vilma Bobeck and Rebecca Netzler: The performance of the Swedish duo in 49erFX assured them of the victory at the Allianz Sailing World Championships in The Hague, winning seven of the 15 races and going up to the podium in five others.

Kristen Neuschafer: South African made history by becoming the first woman to win alone the Golden Globe Race, a journey around the world that does not depend on any modern technology. He also went to the rescue of a partner during the race.

Lauriane Nolot: The French defined the regularity in 2023 with wins in Formula Kite in the World Championships, the Test Event of Paris 2024, the Princess Sofia Regatta and the French Olympic Week.

Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2023 (Male)

Charlie Enright: First American pattern to win the test with the 11th Hour Racing Team.

Bart Lambriex and Floris van de Werken: world trampoons of 49er in a consecutive way, the last in the absence of a race at the Allianz Sailing World Championships. The Dutch couple also won the gold in 49er at the Test Event in Paris 2024 in Marseille in the absence of a race.

Max Maeder: The Singaporean teenager has accumulated a lot of medals in 2023, including the Oros of the Allianz Sailing World Championships, the Asian Games and the World Youth Championship of Formula Kite.

Tom Slingsby: Slingsby won the win for Team Australia in the 3rd season of SailGP in May, which was his third consecutive victory of the season, and has won four podiums in the 4th season to date. The Australian also patronized the American Magic until the victory at the American's Cup 2024 inaugural test held in Vilanova in September.

The nominees for the 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award

Club de Vela la Whale de Alegre: Host of the World Championship of Optimist 2023, Club de Vela la Whale de Alegre created a sustainability program for the event, focused on the environment through waste reduction and the improvement of biodiversity conservation, as well as in the social field through community commitment and education.

Biotherm Sailing Team: He collected data on board his IMOCA class using an automated microscope to analyze phytoplankton in areas not studied in the ocean.

Ecoracer Sailing: Ecoracer 30 manufacturers, the world's first 100% recyclable production ship, Ecoracer Sailing also aims to develop a series of races using the ships to show the problem of the composite materials at the end of their life.

Magenta Project: World leader in the empowerment of women in sailing, its nine-month mentoring program has helped 150 women to accelerate their progress in the field of sailing chosen in the last four years.

Nominated Team of the Year

11th Hour Racing Team: The winners of The Ocean Race 2022-23 demonstrated all the necessary qualities to succeed in one of the most demanding tests of this sport and also supported a number of initiatives to improve ocean health.

Australia SailGP: Patroned by Tom Slingsby, Australia SailGP won its third track title by imposing it at the Grand Final of San Francisco. The Slingsby team won four of the eleven races played throughout the season and was in the lead of the general ranking before winning the Grand Final.

Bart Lambriex and Floris van de Werken: Also nominated for the Rolex Award for Best Regist of the Year.

Match In Pink Normandy Elite Team: Patrolled by Pauline Courtois, the Match In Pink Normandy Elite Team has had a star year. In 2023, they won the Match Race Women's World Championship in Denmark, the Match Race Women's European Championship in Italy, and finished first at both the Match Race Women's World Circuit in Normandy and the Match Race World Ranking.