Awards

Loïc Venance says: "It was early February 2021. Skipper Jérémie Beyou arrived in sight of Les Sables d'Olonne after almost three months of racing. There are only a few miles to go and the race leaders have been crossing the finish line for several days, but Jérémie, as usual, doesn't give up and arrives at full speed. I was lucky to be in a semi-rigid boat with a very good pilot, otherwise, we would never have managed to keep up with him.

"I am very happy to have won this prize, which is a worldwide reference in the world of sailing photography, and very honored that the jury chose my image among so many other high-quality shots," he added.

Loïc Venance holds a master's degree in information science and a photo diploma from the Ecole des Gobelins. He joined the AFP photo department in 2001 as an editor and then as a photographer. In 2016, he was appointed to the Rennes regional office and seconded to Nantes, where he covered daily news, notably the demonstrations on the labor law, Notre-Dame-des-Landes, and the gilets jaunes (yellow vests) movement. He also covers sports news, including Ligue 1 football and offshore sailing races. Over the past 20 years, he has also covered numerous international events including the Tokyo, Pyeong Chang, Sochi, London, and Beijing Olympics, Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Euro football championships, and many editions of the Cannes Film Festival.

The Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image is a professional photo competition that rewards the best photo of a sailing race that the jury believes represent the essence and passion of the sport.