Voting open: The Henri Lloyd Seamanship Award

An honour every team hopes to win, nominations for the Henri Lloyd Clipper Race Seamanship Award open today.

In recognition of the extreme challenges faced by the crew, both as individuals and as a team, our Official Technical Clothing Partner Henri Lloyd is rewarding its coveted Seamanship Award for the highest levels of skills, boat handling and safety demonstrated during the 40,000 nautical mile challenge.

The award has been presented in celebration of Henri Lloyd’s long-term partnership with the Clipper Race. Chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston says: “The essence of good seamanship is safety which is at the heart of yacht racing. Preserving equipment, maintaining safety standards and being a team player make the difference in forming a successful, happy team.

“Henri Lloyd has pioneered the development of all modern technical sailing clothing for more than 50 years and understands the value of such abilities. All of our Clipper Race crews are worthy candidates and I wish them all the best of success as we near the end of the circumnavigation.”

Ocean racing is an extreme sport and the rules of the Clipper Race are designed to encourage the crews to sail their yachts hard whilst promoting excellent seamanship with safety at the forefront. The Henri Lloyd Clipper Race Seamanship Award has been created to recognise the lengths a crew member or team will go to help each other and/or preserve the equipment on board.

“It means a great deal to me as a skipper that my crew put others before themselves,” says Clipper 2013-14 Race skipper Gareth Glover, whose Qingdao team won the award in the last edition of the race in recognition of its rescue of another team when two crew members were injured and had to be medevac’d off the boat. A fire then broke out in the engine room and Qingdao ceased racing to assist them, towing the yacht back into Hobart. Two Qingdao crew members then joined the team so it had enough crew members to be able to restart the race.

“Going to the aid of one of the other teams showed the spirit of the whole crew and their willingness to put others before themselves and help out fellow sailors in need. To stop racing to help just shows how close the Clipper Race family is and I will always be extremely proud.”

To nominate an individual crew member or team, please submit no more than 250 words stating why you believe they should win. All nominations should be sent to [email protected] by Sunday 10 July at 1800 BST.

A shortlist of ten nominations will then be featured on the HenriLloyd website from 0900 BST on Monday 18 July until Sunday 24 July at 1800 BST. During this time race fans will have the opportunity to show support by liking your favourite nominees.

The nomination with the highest number of likes will be selected and receive a small trophy, as well as having their name engraved on the base of the original trophy. They will also win £250 in Henri Lloyd vouchers.

The judging panel, who will decide the short list of nominations, will include race founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Henri Lloyd Joint CEO Paul Strzelecki.

Paul Strzelecki added: “This will be the third race that we have presented the Henri Lloyd Clipper Race Seamanship Award, and it is an honour to celebrate our longstanding partnership and the spirit of ocean racing with this accolade.”

The award will be presented at the Race Finish Prize Giving celebrations at St Katharine Docks, London on Saturday 30 July.

To read more, click here.