Many of the sport’s biggest names will be in attendance at the World Sailing Awards 2025, held on 5 November at a gala ceremony at the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire, Ireland.
Honouring achievement across the sport, from prestigious individual and crew awards to technology and sustainability, and outstanding contributions to sailing, the World Sailing Awards will showcase the dedication and diversity that makes sailing such an inspirational global sport.
New this year is the expanded World Sailing 11th Hour Racing Impact Award – formerly the 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award – which has grown to cover positive impact in environmental footprint and social outcomes through sailing. This includes the use of innovative technologies, community engagement, collaboration and implementation of best practices to achieve those aims. Alongside the iconic trophy, made from recycled carbon fibre sourced from an America’s Cup boat and infused with bio-resin, the winner will receive $10,000 USD to help further their sustainability activities.
Nominations are now open in all categories using this form. The nomination period will close on 30 September 2025.
Alongside the Rolex World Sailor of the Year, the highest award a sailor can receive in recognition of their outstanding achievements in the sport of sailing, World Sailing will also present several awards to honour success in every aspect of the sport. Many of the sport’s most accomplished men and women have held aloft the Rolex World Sailor of the Year trophy and received a customised Rolex timepiece to commemorate their achievement.
Last year, the Spanish duo of Diego Botin and Florian Trittel won the men’s award following a stellar year where they claimed Olympic gold and powered Spain to victory in SailGP Season 4. The women’s award was won by Marit Brouwmeester for the second time – also winning the 2017 award – after becoming the most successful female Olympic sailor of all time.
The Young World Sailor of the Year Award, introduced at last year’s ceremony, recognises the success of sailors under the age of 21. Poland’s Ewa Lewandowska was named the inaugural women’s winner following an impressive breakout year in the 29er class where she won gold at the Youth Sailing World Championships and European Championships. Max Maeder of Singapore won the first men’s award as the reigning Formula Kite World, Asian Games, Asian and European champion, as well as the Paris 2024 Olympic bronze-medallist.
David Graham, World Sailing CEO, said, “The World Sailing Awards recognise and honour excellence, achievement and innovation in the sport of sailing. With a busy year of world and continental championships, as well as the start of the journey to the LA28 Olympic Games already underway, there will be new chapters written in the history of sailing and we are excited to celebrate more of the sport’s stars, emerging talent, dedicated volunteers and groundbreaking technology that reflect the full range of talent within sailing.”
Winds of Change won the 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award, NLcomp was named the first ever winner of the new World Sailing Technology Award (formerly Boat of the Year), the Olympic champion pair of Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti won the Team of the Year, adding to the Rolex World Sailor of the Year award they both won in 2022, Aiko Saito was presented with the Beppe Croce Trophy in celebration of a career devoted to sailing, and Tunisian Olympian and President of the Tunisian Sailing Federation, Hedi Gharbi won the President’s Development Award.
Ireland hosted the World Sailing Awards in 2012 with the ceremony at Mansion House, Dublin, where Sir Ben Ainslie and Lijia Xu were named male and female Rolex World Sailor of the Year. This was the fourth time Ainslie had named World Sailor of the Year, following wins in 1998, 2002 and 2008, after he became the most successful Olympic sailor of all time with gold in the Finn class. Lijia Xu became the first Chinese, and indeed Asian, sailor to win an Olympic gold medal in a dinghy sailing boat by winning Laser Radial gold at London 2012.
