Team mate Pippa Wilson takes home an MBE for her first gold medal. Other Olympic stars appointed MBEs are Laser sailor Paul Goodison and the Star team of Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson. Stephen Park, the team manager, becomes an OBE.

This year’s New Year’s Honours List also recognised the voluntary contribution given to the sport by two RYA volunteers.

RYA Thames Valley chairman Michael Shefras, receives an MBE for ‘voluntary service to boating in the Thames Valley’ after completing 25 years' service on various River Thames consultative committees working with organisations including the Environment Agency (EA) and British Waterways (BW).

Mr Shefras is current RYA Regional Thames Valley chairman and has been involved with the RYA for many years including sitting on the RYA Council.

An MBE also went to Peter Haigh, a 2004 RYA Community Award winner, for ‘voluntary service to sailing in West Yorkshire and the Scouts’.

Mr Haigh received his RYA Community Award after promoting sailing to young and disabled people through Huddersfield Scout Sailing for over 30 years.

In addition to our Olympic stars, one of sailing's top sponsors, Andrew Pindar, owner of Bahrain Team Pindar has received an OBE, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to business and the community in the United Kingdom.

Mr Pindar's burgeoning sailing sponsorship began as a business club member of Sir Chay Blyth's 1996 BT Global Challenge. Through it he met Emma Richards and agreed to back her for the OSTAR in 2000. He has also backed women sailors Helena Darvelid, Sophie Luther and Lia Ditton, as well as Mike Sanderson and Pete Goss. Mr Pindar also made it possible for disabled sailor Hilary Lister to sail across the channel and he has also sponsored young 420 sailor Hannah Mills and match racer Ian Williams.