Ben Ainslie (GBR) and Lijia Xu (CHN) were named the male and female winners of the 2012 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards at a ceremony held at the Mansion House, Dublin, Ireland this evening.

In just one week ISAF and Rolex will announce the 2012 ISAF Rolex World Sailors of the Year at an award ceremony in Dublin, Ireland.

Coming into the London 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition Tom Slingsby knew the Weymouth and Portland waters better than anyone and with an unbeaten record at the venue he was the overwhelming favourite to take gold.

On 6 January 2012 at 22:14 UTC Loïck Peyron entered the history books as he and 13 crew aboard the 40m maxi trimaran Banque Populaire V smashed the Outright Around the World Record to become the fastest men around the planet.

Lijia Xu reigned supreme in the Laser Radial Medal Race at London 2012 to win the first Olympic gold medal in a dinghy for China and Asia.

Inspired to take up sailing by her older brother, Saskia Sills took to windsurfing like a duck to water and has impressed on the international scene.

Childhood friends Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen have raised the bar in the 49er since they teamed up in the class in 2009.

With three Paralympic 2.4mR gold medallists in the London 2012 Paralympic Sailing Competition 2.4mR fleet Helena Lucas entered the event as an outside favourite.

Over the past 12 months, Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page have been the personification of perfection, striving for glory across the world and establishing their names in the history books.

Ben Ainslie eclipsed Paul Elvstrøm's (DEN) Olympic achievements at London 2012 by winning his fifth Olympic medal and fourth consecutive gold to become the most successful Olympic sailor of all time.

Spain's Tamara Echegoyen, Angela Pumariega and Sofia Toro ripped apart the women's match racing form book at the London 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition to win gold in spectacular style.

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) and Rolex are proud to announce the Nominees for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards 2012.

Nominations are invited for the 2012 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards, the most prestigious award of recognition in the sport of sailing. Since the first Awards presentation in 1994, the nominees and winners have always included the highest achievers from all disciplines of the sport.

Nominations are now invited for the 2012 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards, the most prestigious award of recognition in the sport of sailing. Since the first Awards presentation in 1994, the nominees and winners have always included the highest achievers from all disciplines of the sport.