World Sailor of the Year Awards: British trio nominated for 'sailing Oscars'

Scott's gold in sailing's Finn class gave Great Britain their fifth successive Olympic title in the event

Olympic champions Giles Scott, Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark have been nominated for the prestigious World Sailor of the Year Awards.

Four-time world champion Scott, the second most successful sailor in Finn Gold Cup history, won gold at Rio 2016.

Mills and Clark improved on the silver won in London by winning Olympic gold in the women's 470 event in Rio.

"It's awesome for us," said 37-year-old Clark, who retired this summer following her third Games.

Awarded annually to one female and one male nominee, the winners will be announced on 8 November in Barcelona.

"I always think of the World Sailor Awards as the sailing Oscars so to be nominated for the first time is really exciting," added Clark.

"The standard of women's sailing is high and everyone within our category won gold in Rio so it will be really tough, but if we do win, it would be an amazing finish to our partnership."

Nominated alongside Mills and Clark are Marit Bouwmeester of the Netherlands, France's gold medal-winning windsurfer Charline Picon, Argentine Cecilia Carranza Saroli and Brazilian 49erFX Olympic champions Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze.

Meanwhile, Scott will face competition from New Zealand pair Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, 470 champions Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic of Croatia, Argentina's Santiago Lange and Paralympic champion Damien Seguin of France.