Sarah Ayton won the women's prize last year ©World Sailing

Watchmaker Rolex has extended its sponsorship of World Sailing's World Sailor of the Year Awards for 2016.

The famous brand has been the title sponsor of the Awards - viewed as the highest honour male and female sailors can achieve - since 2001.

Each winner is presented with an engraved Rolex watch as well as their Sailor of the Year trophy.

This year's event will be held in Spanish city Barcelona in November.

Andy Hunt, chief executive officer of World Sailing, said: "Rolex have a long and esteemed history within sailing and their extended support of the Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards is further evidence of their outstanding commitment to supporting our sport.

Sir Ben Ainslie has won the men's prize on four occasions ©Getty Images
Sir Ben Ainslie has won the men's prize on four occasions ©Getty Images

"The Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards highlights the qualities of our world's leading athletes from commitment and determination to performance and prestige. 

"These same qualities can be found in long running partnership with Rolex.”

New Zealand 49er duo Peter Burling and Blair Tuke won the men's prize last year, with Britain's Sarah Ayton scooping the women's gong.

Former winners include Britain's quadruple Olympic champion Sir Ben Ainslie, who has scooped the male prize on four occasions.


Rolex will also continue their sponsorship of the Racing Rules of Sailing, the publication that governs the sport on the water.