The ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards are the highest award a sailor can receive in recognition of his/her outstanding achievements by the world of sailing. The Awards are presented every November to one male and one female winner.

Launched in 1994, the ISAF World Sailor of the Year Awards are recognized as the pinnacle award a sailor can receive in recognition of his/her outstanding achievements by the world of sailing.

The Awards are presented to sailors by sailors. Two Awards, one for a female sailor/crew and one for a male sailor/crew, are presented each year during the ISAF Annual Conference in November. The ISAF Annual Conference is a week long series of meetings, which brings together the decision makers in the sport to debate the issues affecting the future of sailing. Sailors selected as nominees for the awards may represent any aspect of the sport.

You will see from the details of past winners that the recipients of the World Sailor of the Year Awards have been drawn from the many diverse disciplines of the sport.

Nominations for sailors may be made by anyone - the national governing bodies for the sport of sailing, class associations, ISAF Committee Members, sailors and any other interested parties. A shortlist is then determined from all of those sailor nominated and these select few become the 'Nominees'. It is then over to the ISAF Member National Authorities to determine the winners.

The winners are not announced until the night of the presentation when they receive the prestigious award and a Rolex timepiece. In past years the Award has been presented by the ISAF Presidents of Honour, HM King Harald of Norway, HM King Constantine, HRH Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and other renowned sailors.

The Awards Presentation is attended by the worlds top sailors, the leaders in the sport around the world, sponsors and other eminent guests.

2001 saw the announcement of Rolex as the title sponsor, who has joined ISAF in the support of this pinnacle award.

Past Winners