Swete sensation in Young Sailor stakes

19 Jul 2012, 09:06UTC

Swete sensation in Young Sailor stakes

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Continuing our video round-up of the main awards for the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, we salute Team Sanya's Dave Swete, who was named as the Rookie Sailor of the Race in memory of Hans Horrevoets.

David Swete, Helmsman/Trimmer, Team Sanya, photographed at the end of the transatlantic leg, in the Lisbon Race Village, during the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12.

IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race

Petra Horrevoets, about to present Team Sanya under 30 crew member David Swete from New Zealand, with the Hans Horrevoets Rookie award for the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12, at the Prize Giving Ceremony in Galway, Ireland, during the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12.

IAN ROMAN/Volvo Ocean Race

Swete, just 27 when the race started back in October 2011, won widespread praise for his performance throughout Sanya's difficult campaign.

The award, based on nominations from the skippers, is given to the outstanding under-30 sailor appearing in the race for the first time. It is named in honour of Hans Horrevoets, the Dutchman who died after being swept from ABN AMRO TWO during the 2005-06 race.

Mike Sanderson, Swete's skipper on Sanya during this race, was the skipper of ABN AMRO ONE in 2005-06 and worked closely with Horrevoets, who was one of the senior crewmen on ABN AMRO TWO, an under-30s team.

"Not everyone knows that Hans was one of the selectors for the ABN AMRO TWO campaign and I can definitely say that Dave Swete would have made it through that selection process," Sanderson said as he accepted the award on behalf of Swete at the prize-giving dinner in Galway.

In a poignant moment, Hans's widow Petra Horrevoets stepped up with their two daughters for the award presentation.