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The Zappeion in Athens will be the venue for the 2010 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards Dinner and Presentation. It is a night to celebrate sailing, for sailors and by sailors. The evening will be hosted by Rolex Testimonee and gold medallist Sofia Bekatorou-Kosmatopoulos and renowned sailing presenter Richard Simmonds.

His Majesty King Constantine will announce the winners of this years Awards and present the unique marble and silver World Sailor Trophy and a personalized Rolex timepiece with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Denmark and Arnaud Boetsch of Rolex SA.

This year four female and six male nominees have been shortlisted for the Award, based on their achievements during the qualifying period of 1 September 2009 to 31 August 2010.

The 2010 nominees are:

Female
Kristin Boese (GER) - Nine Time Kitesurf World Champion
Siripon Kaewduang-Ngam (THA) - Youth Olympic Games gold medallist
Blanca Manchón (ESP) - RS:X World Champion & Double World Cup Winner
Lisa Westerhof & Lobke Berkhout (NED) - 470 World Champions

Male
Antoine Albeau (FRA) - Professional Windsurfing Association & Formula World Champion
Mat Belcher and Malcolm Page (AUS) - 470 World Champions and World Cup winners
Lorenzo Bressani (ITA) - Melges 24 and 32 Champion
Franck Cammas (FRA) - Record breaking offshore racer
Tom Slingsby (AUS) - Laser & Etchells World Champion
Ed Wright (GBR) - Finn World Champion and double World Cup Winner

Click here to read the achievements of the shortlisted sailors.

The ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award is the highest award a sailor can receive in recognition of his/her outstanding achievements. The Awards are presented annually based on a worldwide selection process that incorporates an open invitation to nominations, followed by a vote amongst the 130 member nations of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF).

The Awards have been held every year since 1994 and past winners include Peter Blake (NZL), Ellen MacArthur (GBR), Robert Scheidt (BRA) and Russell Coutts (SUI). In 2009 the Awards were presented to Torben Grael (BRA) and Anna Tunnicliffe (USA).

Visit the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards microsite at www.sailing.org/worldsailor