TP52 regatta in Portugal
No fewer than 150 photographers of 29 different nationalities took part in the 14th Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image Award 2022, an annual professional competition for the most beautiful ocean racing and regatta photos. The overall winner of the competition was Spanish photographer Nico Martinez, who won the award for his photo taken during the TP52 World Championships in Cascais, Portugal. A professional ocean racing photographer since 1990, he is the official photographer of the TP52 and RC44 circuits. He was the official photographer of the Spanish America's Cup challenges in 1995, 2000 and 2007.
Nico Martinez recalls: "The TP52 fleet was sailing downwind, with a light breeze and in a very particular light. It was not a very productive day, not the typical Cascais day, with wind and good light. Then I saw the composition of the five TP52s and told my pilot to stop. We looked for the ideal framing for the shot. Later, when I loaded the photos on my computer, I wasn't convinced, so I put it in black and white and the magic happened. As soon as I saw it, I told myself that this was THE picture."
A unanimous victory
The six members of the international jury voted unanimously for Martinez's photo, awarding it scores between 8 and 10 on all three criteria: the emotion evoked by the image, its technical difficulty and its originality. Nico Martinez also wins the Yacht Racing Forum Delegate Award.
Nicolas Mirabaud, Managing Partner of the Mirabaud Group explains: "A big congratulations to the Spanish photographer Nico Martinez for this exceptional shot. The grays, perspectives and harmony of this image make it a true work of art. The perfect timing and symmetries have deeply captivated me."
Podium and Audience Award
The second place of the podium goes to the German Eike Schurr for his photo taken on board the VO65 The Austrian Ocean Race Project during a training crossing of the Atlantic between Saint-Martin and the Azores.
The Finn Patrick Blom came third with his photo of the traditional sailing boat regatta Viaporintuoppi, in Helsinki.
The Public Prize was won by Brigi Török with his photo of the Libera Raffica competing at the Bol d'Or Mirabaud.
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