Team Australia helmed by Tom Slingsby race during SailGP. GETTY IMAGES.

2024 is an Olympic year, and more precisely, Paris 2024 is the stage where stars are expected to shine brightly. Sailing has its particular relevance and will serve as a prelude for World Sailing to present its awards to honor success in every aspect of the discipline.

The Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award is the highest honor a sailor can receive, in recognition of their outstanding achievements in the sport of sailing. Dozens of men and women have lifted the trophy, receiving a customized Rolex watch to commemorate their achievement.



Last year, in 2023, Tom Slingsby won the men's award, achieving his coveted trident, after guiding Team Australia to another victory in SailGP. He did an amazing job with American Magic, where he hopes to consolidate himself in the America’s Cup at the end of 2024. On the other hand, the women's award was lifted by South African Kirsten Neuschäfer. The veteran sailor became the first and only woman to win the solo Golden Globe Race, a journey around the world without the use of modern technology.

One of the unique features of the International Sailing Federation's gala is the debut of the Young Sailor of the Year Award, a prize for sailors under 21; and the Boat of the Year, renamed the World Sailing Technology Award, which values performance and innovation within the broader technical aspects of sailing.

Nominations for the Rolex World Sailor of the Year and Young Sailor of the Year are currently open and will remain so until they close on September 30, 2024.


French skipper Thomas Ruyant sails his Imoca monohull
French skipper Thomas Ruyant sails his Imoca monohull "Vulnerable" of the TR Racing team. GETTY IMAGES


Both additions were praised by World Sailing CEO David Graham, considering that "they are important (innovations) as we expand the scope of the awards to celebrate those who will become major stars of the future and the technological innovation that drives our sport forward."

Moreover, Graham, in the context of the sport's growth, stated the following: "The World Sailing Awards recognize and honor excellence in the sport of sailing. Being an Olympic year, and following the Youth Sailing World Championships, we expect there to be incredible achievements on display, as well as inspiring stories of triumph and courage."

In the rise to stardom of these awards, the World Sailing 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award will also be presented, with sustainability initiatives as the central core. A crucial factor aligned with World Sailing's Sustainability Agenda 2030; and also, Team of the Year Award, seeking to commemorate teams that personify integrity, ambition, and resilience when sailing.

Additionally, the Beppe Croce Trophy will be awarded to a deserving person for their voluntary contribution to the sport. While the President's Development Award will be given to an individual or organization in honor of their contribution to the growth and development of sailing, whether nationally or internationally.

The World Sailing Awards celebrate more than two decades of excellence and achievements in sailing since Rolex began sponsoring in 2001, and in this 2024 edition, they will be held with the same prestige, celebrating excellence and achievement in sailing, on November 5 at the historic CHIJMES Hall in Singapore.