The 2014 Volvo Yachting Excellence Awards is just over two weeks away following the recent announcement of this year’s Service and Performance Awards. The big winners will be announced on the night, at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland on Friday 21 November. Tickets are on sale now.

This year's prize pool just got even bigger and better, thanks to our title sponsors PIC Insurance Brokers and Jerry Clayton BMW. For the first time ever, one lucky entrant will drive away from the Coastal in a luxurious new BMW.

The Extreme Sailing Series focus shifts now to Sydney – the last event in the 2014 season – where all the questions will be answered.

It’s back to work for Peter Burling and Blair Tuke. The holiday’s over.

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) and Rolex are proud to announce the Nominees for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards 2014. ISAF received nominations for the 2014 Awards from across the world for sailors representing all aspects of the sport. The nominees are put forward based on achievements made during the qualifying period from 1 September 2013 to 21 September 2014.

Sailors, tug boat drivers, paddlers and radio control sailors, mark your diaries for the regatta that marks 175 years since the day that Lieutenant Governor William Hobson took formal possession of what would be come the city of Auckland, in the name of Queen Victoria.

Hopefully you have seen a little of how our World Champs in Santander went, we tried to keep the old Facebook updates coming through.. As annoying a website as it is, its rather handy for quick and easy updates and photo shares!

Four entries so far, the first entry from Georgia, well done Georgia. More coming in as we speak. Please do get your entries in to make it fun checking out the competitors. Four entries for the Millennium Cup so far - also looking good.

The pinnacle event of 2014 was a unique one – the ISAF Sailing World Championships, an event that all the Olympic classes come together for once every four years. It marks the end of the season with most countries taking a small break after the event, before planning and getting stuck into training for the regattas towards the end of the year that lead into 2015. On top of everyone fighting to become World Champion across the ten Olympic Classes, they were also racing to secure their Nation a berth at the 2016 Olympic Games.

The Race Village in Alicante officially opens in one week from today (2 October) and the crews of the seven Volvo Ocean 65s are completing final preparations before the first In-Port Race on Saturday 4 October (0500 NZDT).