ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards 2013 Highlights Show

Australian Mathew Belcher and New Zealanders Jo Aleh & Olivia ‘Polly’ Powrie were named male and female winners of the 2013 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards during a ceremony held in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman on Tuesday 12 November.
Mathew Belcher — Class And Consistency Mathew Belcher from Queensland, Australia, has been awarded the coveted title of ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year. Also nominated in 2010 and 2012, Belcher’s achievement is testament to his excellence and remarkable consistency.
Jo Aleh And Olivia Powrie — Triumphant Team Jolly. Like Belcher, Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie, affectionately known as Team Jolly, are the current Olympic and World 470 Class champions. Their success is also a product of sheer dedication and impressive teamwork. “We’re a little bit shocked to be up here,” said Aleh on receiving the award. “We’re really excited to be part of this and honoured to be part of group.” “We’ve not done this alone and had some wonderful people behind us who have been truly supportive of us throughout our sailing careers,” added Powrie. Skipper Aleh, drawn to sailing while watching New Zealand win the 1995 America’s Cup, and crew Powrie, for whom sailing is part of her family heritage, have much in common having commenced their sailing adventure at the same time, in the same boat, at the same location: in the late 1990s, sailing Optimists at the Kohimarama Yacht Club in their hometown of Auckland.