Three-way tie for sailor of the year

26 Oct 2012, 11:44 pm   -   Source: AAP

The Australian male sailor of the year award has ended in a tie for the first time.

The Australian male sailor of the year award has ended in a tie for the first time in a decade after judges were unable to split the brilliant achievements of the nation's three winning crews from the London Olympics.

Malcolm Page and Mathew Belcher - who won the 470 dinghy gold medal in London and their third 470 world title in May - were favourites for the prestigious award, which was given out at a black tie dinner in Sydney on Friday night.

But the heroics of Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen, who won the 49er skiff gold in London, and Tom Slingsby, who took the Laser class gold, meant they also shared the award.

It's the first time there have been multiple winners since 2002, when former Tornado class world champions Darren Bundock and John Forbes shared it with former Laser class world No.1 Arthur Brett.

The women's match racing crew of Olivia Price, Nina Curtis and Lucinda Whitty, who won silver at the 2012 Games, were given the female sailor of the year award.

Australian team boss Peter Conde was handed the sports professional award after steering the nation's sailing squad to its best Olympic campaign.

They won three golds and one silver at the 2012 Games, beating their previous best performance of two golds, a silver and a bronze in Sydney.

Daniel Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch, who won the Skud 18 gold at the London Paralympics, took the sailor with a disability award.

The organisers of the Perth 2011 sailing world championships were given an award for promoting the sport.

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