Roman HAGARA and Hans Peter STEINACHER have been at the top of their game for many years and over the last twelve months have further illustrated why they are double Olympic gold medallists. Hagara and Steinacher achieved top ten finishes at all the ISAF Graded events they have contested over the last twelve months, including wins at two ISAF Grade 1 events.

Hagara and Steinacher went into the Olympic Sailing Competition with their most recent result being a win at the ISAF Grade 1 SPA Regatta and began their Olympic challenge with a victory in race one. They went on to win four races, with no score worse than eighth throughout the competition.

Their grip on the gold medal did not falter and the pair were in gold or silver position throughout the series, before claiming the gold medal in the final race.

Hagara and Steinacher's position on the ISAF World Sailing Rankings is indicative of their form over the last twelve months and they have steadily climbed their way up to the top spot.

ISAF World Sailing Ranking at the end of the nomination period (3 August 2004) - 1 Current ISAF World Sailing Ranking (2 September 2004) - 2

1st - Olympic Sailing Competition, Grade W - August 2004
1st - SPA Regatta, Grade 1 - May 2004
4th - Semaine Olympique Française, Grade 1 - April 2004
9th - Tornado World Championship, Grade W - April 2004
5th - Tornado European Championship, Grade 1 - March 2004
2nd - Rolex Miami OCR, Grade 1 - January 2004
1st - Tornado North American Championship, Grade 1 - January 2004
6th - ISAF World Championship, Grade W - September 2003

Name	Roman HAGARA	Hans Peter STEINACHER
Date of Birth	24227	25090
Place of Birth	Vienna	Zell
Profession	Sailor	Sailor
ISAF Sailor ID	AUTRH1
Age started sailing	10	11
First boat sailed	Hobie 16	Laser Radial
Age started racing	14	15
First boat raced	Hobie 16	Laser
What inspired you to take up sailing?	Our lakes in Austria	A nice lake
How did you buy your first boat?	With the help of my parents	Friend
Which was your first sailing club?	Yacht Club Breiten Brunn	YC Zell Amsee
First Event competed in and Year	Austrian Hobie 16 Nationals in 1980	Austrian Laser Youth Championship in 1983
First Event won and Year		Austrian Laser Youth Competition in 1984
Principle achievements	Go for Gold	Never give up, two for one
Detail the personal highlights of your sailing career to date	Winning the first worlds in the Tornado in 1987 in Kiel as a crew	2004 Gold Medal in the Tornado in Athens
Detail the personal highlights of your sailing career to date	Tornado World Champion - 1999	2000 Gold Medal in the Tornado in Sydney
Detail the personal highlights of your sailing career to date	Olympic Gold Medal in Sydney - 2000	1999 - 1st Tornado World Championship
Detail the personal highlights of your sailing career to date	Olympic Gold Medal in Athens - 2004	2000 and 2001 - 2nd Tornado World Championship
What are your future sailing aspirations?	Beijing 2008, Volvo Ocean Race or America's Cup	More Tornado racing, Volvo Ocean Race and America's Cup
Briefly state what sailing means to you	Sailing became the most important dreams in my life	It is the best sport in nature without doping problems
Who has had the greatest impact or inspiration in your sailing career and why?	My coach Georg FUNDAK and all my friends who helped me for the last years.	The first time sailing in 35 knots
Who do you consider to be your sailing hero?	Paul ELVSTRÖM
What other sports do you participate in outside of sailing?	Mountain biking and running	Mountain biking and ice hockey
Who do you consider to be the greatest sailor in the World and why?	Paul ELVSTRÖM. He is the most fair and gentleman sailor I have ever sailed against.	First ever multihull open winners of two consecutive Olympic gold medals
Briefly state what being nominated for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award 2004 means to you	It is a great honour to be nominated as a World Sailor of the Year 2004	It's a great pleasure
If voted as the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2004, briefly say what will this mean to you?	Among the two gold medals at the Olympic Games it would be a great honour, once in a lifetime to win the world sailor of the year.	First time multihull sailor - that's history!