Iker and Xabi celebrating the news from the Team Telefonica.© Diego Fructuoso / Team Telefonica
10.11.2011
Iker Martínez and Xabi Fernández, World Sailors of the Year 2011
The International Sailing Federation ISAF honours the runner-up team in the Barcelona World Race 2010/2011
ISAF, the International Sailing Federation, has awarded it's maximum world title to sailors Iker Martínez and Xabi Fernández, the two-man crew that finished second in the most recent Barcelona World Race. Their entry in the round the world regatta starting and finishing in Barcelona on board "MAPFRE" was one of the key factors in tipping the judges' decision in favour of the Basque pair who are also double Olympic-medallists and three-time World and European Champions in the 49er class.
Martínez and Fernández topped nominations for sailors of the calibre of Ben Ainslie, Lorenzo Bressani, Rob Douglas and Nathan Outteridge.
The judges took into account the success of the duo in the Barcelona World Race as well as their silver medal in the Olympic qualifier at Weymouth where they also qualified Spain for the Olympic Games in the 49er class. It is also worth highlighting that the sailors notched up that latest successful finish whilst training for the Volvo Ocean Race.
This was the third time Martínez and Fernández were up for the award and it's the fourth time that the ISAF World Sailor of the Year title goes to a Spanish sailor. Other winners from Spain are Theresa Zabell, Fernando Echávarri and Antón Paz and Blanca Manchón.
In the female category the World Sailor of the Year went to Anna Tunnicliffe from the USA. Among the finalists were Britain's Dee Caffari who finished sixth in the latest edition of the Barcelona World Race as half of the first and up until now the only all female crew to take part and finish the non-stop, round the world regatta with Barcelona's Anna Corbella.
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