80 photographers from all over the world participated in the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image 2021 with a shot of a sailing competition in 2020. 20 photos were then selected by the international jury, which included the French photographer and winner of the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image 2020 edition gilles Martin-Raget.
A skipper at full speed even after 90 days!
In 2021, it is once again a French photographer who wins the jury's support. It is Loïc Venance for his shot of Charal, taken a few miles from the finish of the 2020/2021 Vendée Globe. A photo whose author reveals the backstage:
"At each Vendée Globe finish, I photograph all the skippers. Jérémie Beyou arrived in 13th position after 89 days of racing. What was completely crazy was that he arrived at the bottom! He had nothing left to win or lose, and as a great competitor, he kept up the pace even at the finish. He was even hard to follow in semi-rigid and yet I had a very good pilot-euros! You could almost think it was a photo of the start, while we were in Les Sables-d'Olonne, 10 minutes before the finish line. I really like this original aspect of an IMOCA from this angle. It almost looks like a spaceship."
Recognition from the sailing community
Loïc Venance has been a photographer for Agence France Presse (AFP) since 2001 and participates in the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image competition whenever he covers a major sailing event, the third time in 2021. Already at the finish of the Vendée Globe, he signed a comparative series of portraits of the sailors at the start and at the finish.
"There are a lot of photo contests, especially in December: the World Press, Pictures of the Year, Istanbul Photo Awardseuros. The photo contest is a classic and it brings a certain recognition. In sailing, the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image is the most important in the world. It will bring me recognition in the world, because I don't only photograph sailing. It's a very small part of what I do, and it gives me confidence with the skippers. It's a pleasure. It's a real recognition of the sailing world", concludes Loïc.
