The winners of the prestigious male and female Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards will be announced during the World Sailing Annual Conference being hosted by Bermuda this year.

Three female and five male nominees have been shortlisted for the awards, including Laser Radial world and European Champion Anne-Marie Rindom, of Denmark, and Australian pair Mat Belcher and Will Ryan, the 470 world, European and Hempel World Cup Series champions.

The winners will be determined via a public vote that will contribute to 50 per cent of the overall count with the remaining 50 per cent to be decided by World Sailing’s Member National Authorities. They will be announced on Tuesday at the awards ceremony at the Fairmont Southampton. The conference begins today and runs until November 3.

The World Sailing 11th Hour Racing Sustainability, the Hempel Team of the Year and the Boat of the Year Award winners will also be announced while the Beppe Croce Trophy, President Development Award and eSailing World Championship Trophy will be presented during the event, celebrating outstanding achievement and exceptional contributions to the sport of sailing over the past year.

More than 400 delegates from about 70 nations are expected to attend to be a part of key decisions that influence the future of the sport and impact professional and recreational sailors that will be made throughout the weeklong event.

Delegates attending the conference include sailors with experience in multiple disciplines of the sport, committee members, class associations, event organisers, member national authorities and boat manufacturers.

Four commissions, ten subcommittees and ten committees will discuss numerous topics.

World Sailing received nearly 200 submissions proposing changes to regulations, policies and rules before the conference. The submissions are to be reviewed by expert committees who in turn will put forward their recommendations and opinions to World Sailing’s Council.

The council will then meet on November 1 and 2 to either approve, reject or defer the recommendations and proposals from the committees that will be ratified at the annual meeting on November 3.

Matters expected to dominate discussions include a proposal to reform the governance of World Sailing, the 2021-2028 events strategy, selection of the Paris 2024 windsurfer equipment and the release of a new Para World Sailing strategy.

A series of events takes place over the course of the conference, including commission meetings and forums on sailing regulations and policies and events of competition and celebration:

• Mini-Regatta (Monday, noon to 3pm): The Sail Insight app, powered by SAP, will be presented at the Fairmont Southampton. To demonstrate this in action, a fleet from the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club will carry the app on board with real-time insights and a live stream from the water showcased to delegates

• eSailing World Championships (Tuesday, 2pm — 2.30pm): Eight of the top eSailors will battle for victory on a digital platform called Virtual Regatta, a community of more than a million players hosted by World Sailing. The final will be live-streamed across World Sailing’s YouTube and Facebook channels

• World Sailing Awards (Tuesday): This ticketed event includes the eSailing World Championship Trophy and the coveted Rolex World Sailor of the Year honours for the sailor crowned the best of the best in international sailing over the past 12 months

“Bermuda is a nation with sailing at its core,” noted World Sailing president Kim Andersen. “In recent years, the island has been at the forefront of the sailing world with its hosting of the America’s Cup. That legacy is evident, and the sport has grown here as a result. World Sailing is delighted to be in Bermuda for its annual conference. Many of the delegates know Bermuda very well, and alongside the discussions and debates, we’re sure they will also enjoy experiencing everything the island has to offer.”