Hayling Island siblings James and Frances Peters, scooped the Raymarine Young Sailor of the Year award, to jointly share the prestigious title.

They follow in the footsteps of previous Raymarine Young Sailor of the Year winners, Olympic Gold Medallist Ben Ainslie and transatlantic solo yachtswoman Dame Ellen MacArthur.

The award was announced at the London Boat Show, and was presented by Alex Thomson, the record breaking round the world racing yachtsman and Hugo Boss skipper.

Winning the Raymarine Young Sailor of the Year title is in recognition of James and Frances Peters? fantastic 2008 season. They were crowned joint RYA regional winners for the South; and they both achieved gold medals at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF Worlds Championship in Denmark, sailing separate 29ers in the men?s and women?s classes with their crews Ed Fitzgerald and Claire Lasko. Plus, they were instrumental in helping Britain win the Volvo Trophy for best nation with a medal haul of two golds and one bronze at the event. James and his crew also won the European Championship.

The public made nominations for the Raymarine Young Sailor of the Year, and the vote for the overall winner was by members of the Yachting Journalists? Association (YJA).

In addition to presenting James and Frances Peters with their Raymarine Young Sailor of the Year award, Alex Thomson also presented the RYA Regional Winners with their awards:

The winner of the prestigious Raymarine/YJA Yachtsman of the Year will be revealed at a ceremony at The Painted Hall on the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, Tuesday 13 January 2009, also during the London Boat Show. Finalists include:

Dag Pike who, at 75 years of age, became the oldest person to win the Round Britain Power Boat Race and the only person to win the event twice.

The 2008 Olympic Sailing Gold Medallists – Ben Ainslie (Finn class), Paul Goodison (Laser class), Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson (Star class), and Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson (Yngling class), who between them won 4 gold medals helping gain the highest results seen for Great Britain in yachting history.

Jim Saltonstall who had a major influence on the racing coaching of the Olympic winners in their formative years.