Vendée Globe photo wins Yacht Racing Image contest
The winners of the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image photography competition have been announced at a prize-giving ceremony in Paris.
French photographer Loïc Venance won the main award for a jaw-dropping shot of French sailor Jeremie Beyou taken during the Vendée Globe. British photographer Patrick Condy picked up the public award, based on the number of public votes cast on the internet, with an image of Alex Thomson’s Hugo Boss rounding the Fastnet Rock.
Public vote winner. Image: Patrick Condy
The annual Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image award is open to professional yacht racing photographers from all over the world. A total of 126 photographers from 24 countries took part in the 13th edition this year, with the overall winner selected by a jury.
The entries illustrate the sailing season’s highlights, including the Olympic Games and America’s Cup, as well as SailGP and other popular events such as the Fastnet race, Voiles de Saint-Tropez, Mini Transat and sailing regattas all over the world.
“I am very happy to have won this prize, which is clearly an international reference in sailing photography, and to have my photo chosen among so many high-quality images,” says Venance, who joined AFP in 2001 and has covered offshore races such as the Vendée Globe, Route du Rhum and Transat Jacques Vabre since 2016.
Second prize was awarded to Martina Orsini for this image captured at Swan – The Nation Trophy
Italian photographer Martina Orsini is this year’s runner-up, ahead of Swiss photographer Daniel Forster, who took third place.
“It is an amazing honour to have won the Public award in such a prestigious competition”, says Patrick Condy. “This award is something all marine photographers aspire to win and it is great to see it going strong in what has been a difficult year for us all.”
Third place was awarded to Daniel Forster for this image captured at Cedar Point Yacht Club One Design Regatta
The Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image award 2021 registered approximately 15,000 votes on social media and more than 250,000 page views, according to organisers MaxComm.
Take a look at some of the shortlisted images below:
Photo: Ricky Wilson. Event: 36th America’s Cup
Photo: Orsini Chittenden. Event: Manly 16ft Skiff Club Championship R1
Photo: Roberto Celi. Event: 33° Trofeo Mariperman
Photo: Robin Christol. Event: Pro Sailing tour
Photo: Dylan Clarke. America’s Cup
Photo: Robert Hajduk. Event: 2021 ILCA under-21 World Championships
Photo: Francesco Ferri. Event: Monaco Classic Week 2021
Photo: James Tomlinson. Event: RORC Vice Admirals Cup 2021
Photo: Rod Harris. Event: The Inaugural Safe Harbor Race Weekend
Photo: Joka Gemesi. Event: Optimist Hungarian Cup
Photo: Mauro Melandri. Event: World Championship Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour 2021
Photo: Benjamin Sellier. Event: The Ocean Race Europe 
Photo: Eike Schurr
Photo: Isaenko Valery. PROyachting fun race
Photo: Marina Semenova
Photo: Loris Pozzetto
