Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/785757
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 12 FEBRUARY 2017 53 SAILING FOOTBALL PHOTOGRAPHY BY YACHTING MALTA/JONATHAN BORG Sport Yachting Malta Awards Nominees for 'Outstanding Contribution to Yachting' unveiled MALTA'S location in the heart of the Mediterranean has always played a key role as a seafaring na- tion and in recent years, Malta's maritime pursuits have seen the country's yachting activity grow through the development of the sector from a sport and industry perspective. This growth was made possible through the passion, tireless en- ergy and expertise that a number of individuals, clubs and organi- sations have contributed over a stretch of time. The success of the sport and industry is a testimony of the efforts made by these indi- viduals. Yachting Malta felt that the time was ripe to recognise and give tribute to such individu- als. The Yachting Malta Awards, launched in December 2016, were designed to acknowledge these efforts and the general public was invited to submit nominations. "Yachting Malta felt that it was appropriate to honour and cele- brate the outstanding and lifetime contributions of key stakeholders in sport and industry through the first edition of the Yachting Malta Awards – their efforts have cer- tainly made an impact on what has become a flourishing sec- tor" explained Wilfrid Buttigieg, CEO Yachting Malta. "Reading through the wide spectrum of nominations is not only inspir- ing but also a powerful reminder of the efforts and challenges that such individuals embarked upon to bring the industry and sport to be what it is today and as a basis for future growth." 2017 Yachting Malta Award Nominees To date, the nominees vying for the 'Outstanding Contribution to Yachting' award are: Kurt Arrigo - International Award Winning Photographer Teddie Borg – Sailing Media Pio- neer Aaron Ciantar - Four-time Pow- erboat World Champion Robert Corcoran - Luxury Boat Captain & Yachting in Malta Pro- moter Gino Cutajar - President of the Super Yacht Industry Network (Malta) Roland Darmanin Kissaun - Yachting Industry Pioneer (1970's) Joe Degabriele – Super Yacht In- dustry Expert Jean Paul Fleri Soler - National Sailing Coach Malcolm Lowell - Entrepreneur & key supporter of the Rolex Mid- dle Sea Race Arthur Podesta - Past Commo- dore Royal Malta Yacht Club, Skilled Yachtsman Gerald Portanier - Commodore, Vikings Sailing Club Christian Ripard – Skilled Inter- national Yachtsman John Ripard - Yachtsman, In- ternational Judge, co-founder of Rolex Middle Sea Race Paul Ripard - Middle Sea Race Co-Founder, Olympian & Yacht- ing Entrepreneur Anna Rossi - President, Malta Sailing Federation Lee Satariano – Yachtsman, Rolex Middle Sea Race Wilfred Sultana - Journalist, Pub- lisher and Events Organiser The nominations are currently being vetted by the Yachting Mal- ta Board of Directors. The win- ners of the first Yachting Malta Awards will be announced during a gala evening to be held on Fri- day, 17th February at the Westin Dragonara Ballroom, St. Julian's. Yachting Malta would like to thank Mercedes-Benz, Simon Es- tates, Charles Grech and Trans- port Malta for their support. For more information about the nominees and reservations please visit – www.yachtingmalta.org/ awards or contact the team on awards@yachtingmalta.org or +356 999 777 78. Sanchez double lifts Arsenal gloom, United make it sweet 16 ARSENAL put two Premier League defeats - and days of un- certainty about manager Arsene Wenger - behind them to post a workmanlike 2-0 victory over Hull City that lifted them above Manchester City into third place. With none of the other top four teams playing on Saturday after- noon, Manchester United beat Watford 2-0 to move ahead of Liv- erpool in fifth place and South- ampton's new striker Manolo Gabbiadini scored twice in their 4-0 thumping of Sunderland. However welcome Arsenal's vic- tory was, it owed much to luck af- ter a controversial handball goal from Alexis Sanchez and did little to lift the mood at the Emirates where Wenger was non-commit- tal about his future. The game turned on Sanchez's 34th-minute opener when the ball went into the net inadvertently off the Chilean's hand after popping up from a goalline save by the keeper. "The referee apologised to us after halftime and said it was a handball," Hull defender Andrew Robertson said. "He obviously re- alises he was in the wrong." Sanchez's second also came via a goalline handball, this time from Hull's Sam Clucas in stop- page time, which led to a penalty and sending-off. Sanchez's spot- kick took his tally to 17 goals in 25 league games, including four against Hull. When Wenger, who watched the game from the stands after com- pleting a four-match touchline ban, was asked about his future, he said: "I focus on what is impor- tant, winning football games and getting the team to perform. The rest, I cannot inf luence." At Old Trafford, Manches- ter United looked unrecognis- able from the side who spluttered through the early months of the season and extended their un- beaten league run to 16 games. Anthony Martial responded to a rare start with this third goal of the season after Juan Mata had given United the lead. The win put United one point behind fourth-placed Manchester City, who play on Monday. "Sixteen games unbeaten is an amazing record," United manager Jose Mourinho said. "It was a dif- ficult match and a very important win for us." Elsewhere, Southampton are getting an instant return on the 14 million pounds ($17.5 million) they paid Napoli for Italy striker Gabbiadini on transfer deadline day, and his brace, including a brilliant turn and shot, means he has now scored three in two games. A week remains a long time in football and two more late goals for Southampton left Sunderland on the wrong end of the same 4-0 result they inf licted on Crystal Palace seven days earlier. Sunderland and Palace remained rooted to the bottom on 19 points after Joe Allen's sixth league goal of the season for Stoke - his best- ever haul - was enough to see off Sam Allardyce's side 1-0. With Middlesbrough taking a point from a 0-0 draw with Ever- ton, the day's real winners at the bottom were Swansea City and Leicester City, neither of whom played.