Skip to main content
Part of complete coverage on

Capsized ships and battered rigs: Incredible racing images from the sea

By Sheena McKenzie, CNN
December 13, 2012 -- Updated 1222 GMT (2022 HKT)
Malta photographer Kurt Arrigo leaned out of a helicopter to capture this stunning picture of the Rolex Volcano Race, winner of the World Yacht Racing Forum Image of the Year competition. Malta photographer Kurt Arrigo leaned out of a helicopter to capture this stunning picture of the Rolex Volcano Race, winner of the World Yacht Racing Forum Image of the Year competition.
HIDE CAPTION
World's best sailing photo
Second place
Third place
Fourth place
Fifth place
Stunning sunset
Breathtaking views
Hairy moments
Storm brewing
Vast ocean
Battling the elements
Sea spray
Point of view
Tide turn
Picture perfect
Serious sailing
Filmic photos
Water works
Drama on the seas
A difficult job
<<
<
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
>
>>
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Malta photographer Kurt Arrigo wins World Yacht Racing Forum Image of the Year
  • Picture of competitors in Rolex Volcano Race praised by judges for originality
  • Fifth annual competition only open to professional photographers
  • Judges included Olympic gold medalists Shirley Robertson and Ben Ainslie

Editor's note: MainSail is CNN's monthly sailing show, exploring the sport of sailing, luxury travel and the latest in design and technology.

(CNN) -- A line of sailors teeter on the edge of a giant yacht, peering down at the blazing orange island reflected on its lurching hull.

The sailboat slices through the gray Mediterranean, passing the Italian island of Capri at just the right moment to catch a dazzling silhouette on its exposed underbelly.

It's an incredible image, captured by Malta photographer Kurt Arrigo as he leaned out of a low-flying helicopter during the Rolex Volcano Race earlier this year.

Arrigo has just been named winner of the prestigious World Yacht Racing Forum Image of the Year competition in Gothenburg, Sweden, chosen from an elite pool of internationally renowned sailing photographers.

Top Olympic sailor embraces new venture
Maxi yachts compete in Sardinia

Arrigo said of the winning picture: "The weather had been bad all day, but the sun suddenly came out for a short while."

"We were leaving the area but I asked the pilot of the helicopter to fly back briefly over the leading boat -- that's when I took this photograph."

Veteran racing photographer Christian Février said the image would have been impossible 20 years ago, as film cameras would have struggled to capture a yacht racing so quickly with the same stunning level of clarity.

"The reflection at twilight in the hull was interesting. But the importance of the crew creates a second point of interest," he said of the lauded image.

Read: Dangling on the edge -- Life of daredevil photographer

The fifth annual competition, sponsored by Mirabaud & Cie Private Bankers, is only open to professional photographers, this year attracting 46 of the best racing images from 2012.

The spectacular photos captured some of the biggest events in the sailing calendar, from brutal waves bombarding competitors in the America's Cup to the festive atmosphere of the London Olympics.

Competitors were judged on technical elements such as clarity, lighting, composition, and also originality.

"If you look at the images, hardly any could be taken by someone who's not heavily involved in the industry," Bernard Schopfer, one of the organizers of the event, said.

Very often you have to be hanging out of a helicopter or be on board in violent conditions
Bernard Schopfer, World Yacht Racing Forum Image of the Year co-organizer

"Very often you have to be hanging out of a helicopter with no door or on board the racing boat in extremely violent conditions. It's also an investment to have the right equipment that can withstand the salt water."

Read: The old man and the sea -- 73-year-old to sail solo around world

The impressive images were whittled down to the top five by delegates from the World Yacht Racing Forum. The difficult task of choosing a winner was then decided by a panel of industry heavyweights.

Judges included two-time sailing Olympic gold medalist and CNN Main Sail broadcaster Shirley Robertson.

Ben Ainslie, who won his fourth sailing Olympic gold at London 2012, also sat on the panel, adding that the moving photographs had "paid a great tribute to the variety and richness of the sport of sailing."

Arrigo, who has already published two photography books on his native Malta, was awarded a trophy at the event.

ADVERTISEMENT
Part of complete coverage on
MainSail
May 7, 2013 -- Updated 0931 GMT (1731 HKT)
Silently huddled on the water's edge, waiting hours on end for a hint of action, may not be everyone's idea of a pleasurable pastime.
April 25, 2013 -- Updated 1158 GMT (1958 HKT)
Richard Branson's 1986 speedboat has been found in a Spanish boatyard and is being restored to its former glory.
March 13, 2013 -- Updated 1057 GMT (1857 HKT)
Perfect for guests wanting water views with the convenience of dry land, our top 5 'boatels' include a WWII submarine and 1960s lifeboat.
March 13, 2013 -- Updated 1235 GMT (2035 HKT)
A series of haunting photographs of an imagined underwater world make up the first ever underwater gallery aboard a sunken ship.
March 5, 2013 -- Updated 1137 GMT (1937 HKT)
Is this history rewritten? Ex-Royal Navy officer embarks on a voyage to prove that Phoenicians could have beaten Columbus by 2000 years
February 7, 2013 -- Updated 1836 GMT (0236 HKT)
As MainSail prepares for the unveiling of the longest yacht ever made, we find out whether there's any limit to how big a boatmaker will go.
January 31, 2013 -- Updated 1422 GMT (2222 HKT)
Featuring glaciers, barren cliffs, rugged shorelines and savage sea swells, these are the seven deadly islands of the world.
January 31, 2013 -- Updated 1750 GMT (0150 HKT)
A group of Australian explorers emulate Shackleton's epic survival journey, using almost exactly the same equipment and rations.
January 21, 2013 -- Updated 1543 GMT (2343 HKT)
Sails adorned with the ork of artists, Pam Glew (left), Christian Furr (center) and Wendy Taylor (right) take to London's Royal Victoria Dock.
Part fine-art show, part boat-race, the CNM Estates Fine Art Sails regatta combines the creativity of UK's artists with skills of the country's sailors.
January 18, 2013 -- Updated 1110 GMT (1910 HKT)
Hackerfleet is a collective of volunteer computer hackers and programmers crafting a new generation of sailing software in the middle of the ocean.
January 11, 2013 -- Updated 1127 GMT (1927 HKT)
A freezing mist rolls across the waters of Lake Baikal in Russia.
Bolivia, Russia, Holland and Switzerland, just where are the world's most awe-inspiring lake-sailing destinations? CNN finds out.
December 21, 2012 -- Updated 1215 GMT (2015 HKT)
For the traveling sailor, finding a partner willing to give up everything to jump aboard, is a tall ask. That's why many lonely-hearted sea-lovers are turning to the internet.
November 29, 2012 -- Updated 0332 GMT (1132 HKT)
When faced with ferocious waves, most people would seek protection in the sturdiest vessel they could find. But not 73-year-old Sven Yrvind.
ADVERTISEMENT