Swiss photographer Loris von Siebenthal has been named winner of the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image photo competition for 2019. Von Siebenthal bested no less than 133 other photographers from 29 countries submitting shots of everything from regular weekend regattas to junior sailing and pre-Olympic events from around the world.
Von Siebenthal’s winning entry captured the early stages of a huge storm that hit the prestigious Bol d’Or Mirabaud regatta on Lake Geneva this past summer and show a D35 catamaran struggling to survive winds over 60knts. Finishing second in this year’s contest, as decided by an international jury, was veteran U.S. photograph Sharon Green, followed by UK photographer Ian Roman in third.
“The Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image award is the absolute reference for sailing photographers from all over the world, and it is a great honor to receive this prize,” said von Siebenthal. “When we are on the water, our job is to anticipate visually challenging situations. Sometimes the weather conditions offer us this extra intensity. The few seconds before the passage of the stormy front [in the winning photo] on June 15 were one of those moments of grace that we are looking for over the years.”
The Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image Award are marking their 10th year 2019. As in years past, the dozens of entries spanned the length and breadth of competitive sailing, in the process offering an outstanding record of what it is that makes the sport of sailing such a special one.
For more on the contest and to see some of the other great photos entered, click here.
November 2019
