After an invitation to try out sailing for the first time at the age of 34 on an Andrews 70 in Santa Barbara, California, USA the American was immediately enamoured. Sailing quickly became a passion and one she pursued with intent.

Demourkas looks after the day-to-day running of the Class as President and in a class that is dominated by men she is a talented helmswoman on the race course and a force to be reckoned with.

At the 2013 Farr 30 World Championship in Rhode Island, USA Demourkas steered Groovederci to victory in a nail-biting race to become to first triple Farr 30 World Champion.

Demourkas battled with Jim Richardson's Barking Mad and Rod Jabin's Ramrod for every inch and every cross over the 11-race series and it went down-to-the-wire in the very last race.

With positions chopping and changing in Race 11 Demourkas' team on Groovederci held on as the American sealed a memorable one point victory.

Joining Demourkas as a female nominee for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2013 are Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie (NZL), Erika Heineken (USA) and Raya Al-Habsi (OMA).

View Deneen Demourkas' ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Nominee Page.

View a photo gallery.

The Voting
The winners are selected by the ISAF Member National Authorities (MNAs), the national governing bodies for sailing around the world. The MNAs are now invited to vote for the male and female nominee they believe most deserves the Award.

The winners will be announced at the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards presentation and dinner, taking place on Tuesday 12 November 2013. The venue for the event will be at the El Bander Hotel, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.

Each winner will be presented with the prestigious ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award Trophy and a distinctive Rolex timepiece.