 Sanderson headed up the two-team ABN Amro challenge |
Mike Sanderson has been handed the 2006 World Sailor of the Year award by the International Sailing Federation. The experienced New Zealander skippered ABN Amro One to victory in the Volvo Ocean Race earlier this year.
The team won the race with two legs left to complete, having triumphed in six of the nine offshore stages.
"I'm delighted. This is the sailing world's Oscars and to have won is just fantastic. It makes all the grey hairs worthwhile," said the 35-year-old.
"However, it was the whole of Team ABN Amro who made this all a reality; the designers, the boat builders, the shore crew, the sailors, the marketing team and our great sponsor.
"Without the efforts of the whole crew winning the Volvo Ocean Race would not have been possible."
Sanderson headed up the two-team ABN Amro challenge in the round-the world race but the second boat, ABN Amro Two, suffered tragedy when 32-year-old Dutch crewman Hans Horrevoets was washed overboard and died during the New York to Portsmouth leg.
Sanderson, nicknamed "Moose", is married to British yachtswoman Emma Richards.
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