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During the evening, eighteen different awards were presented to sailors who achieved outstandingly during the year. The pinnacle award, Sailors of the Year, was presented to Xavier and Pascal in recognition of their success in winning the ISAF World Championship in the keelboat men event in the Star Class, with a race to spare. Their award was presented by Jean-Pierre Champion, President of FFVoile, Goran Petersson, ISAF Vice-president and Jean-François Communier for the Popular Bank, principal partner of the federation.

In recognition of their win at the ISAF World Championship, Xavier and Pascal were selected by the FFV to represent France at the 2004 Olympic Regatta.

Unbelievably this pair had only sailed together for twenty days, ten in July and ten in August, prior to the 2003 ISAF World Championship.

This lack of preparation had no ill effect and only served them well as they took the 2003 ISAF World Championship with a race to spare, outperforming the greatest names in the Star fleet.

With no placings outside the top 5, they totally dominated and led the fleet overall from start to finish in the series.

Xavier and Pascal were also nominees for the male category of the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards, and were runners up to the male winner Russell COUTTS (SUI).




Other Sailors Nominated for the 2003 French Sailor of the Year Award:
Ingrid Petitjean and Nadege Douroux: Vice - 2nd 2003 ISAF World Championship -470
Faustine Merret - 3rd 2003 ISAF World Championship - Mistral, 2nd Mistral European Championship
Antoine Albeau - 2nd Formula Windsurfing World Championship, 2nd Funboard World ChampionshipArmel Cléac' H - Winner of the Afflelou Recluse the Barber and Solitary Champion of France on Créaline
Bernard Stamm - Winner of Around Alone and IMOCA World Champion
Jean-Pierre Dick and Nicolas Abiven - Winners of the Monohull discipline in the Transatlantic Race Jacques Vabre
Franck Cammas - ORMA World Champion

Previous winners are:
2002- Olivier Backès and Laurent Voiron - 2002 Silver Medallists in Tornado Wolrd Championships and Gold Medallists at the Tornado Class European Championship
2001- Michel Desjoyeaux, for his victory in the Vendée Globe.