Some of the world's greatest yacht racing photographers gathered in Paris this week for the Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image award prize giving. Among them, French photographer Loic Venance, winner of the main award thanks to his picture of French sailor Jeremie Beyou in the Vendee Globe, and Patrick Condy (UK), winner of the Public Award.

Born in Paris in 1975, Loic Venance studied photography at the Ecole de l'Image (Gobelins). He joined Agence France Presse (AFP) in 2001 and covered numerous subjects in France and abroad, including Lybia, Bolivia or Thailand. Venance started to work in sailing in 2016, covering offshore races such as the Vendee Globe, Route du Rhum or Transat Jacques Vabre.

The Public Award, based on the number of public votes cast on the internet, was won by Patrick Condy from the UK with an image of Alex Thomson's Hugo Boss rounding Ireland's Fastnet Rock. Condy leads two Hungarian photographers: Brigi Torok and Joka Gemesi.

Public winner: Alex Thomson's Hugo Boss rounding the Fastnet Rock  Photo: Patrick Condy