Finalists revealed for the 2025 World Sailing Awards

The finalists have been announced for the prestigious 2025 World Sailing Awards, with strong British representation in both the Female Sailor of the Year and Impact categories.

America’s Cup winners, multi-time offshore champions, world champions, trailblazers and organisations committed to making a difference to the global sailing community are all named in the final-up, with each of them impressing the judging panel with their achievements over the past year.

We’re proud to see British finalists among the contenders, with inspirational para inclusive sailor Jazz Turner in the running for the Female World Sailor of the Year after her record-breaking solo, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the British Isles earlier this year.

The LIFE Recreation ReMEDIES Project, in which the RYA Green Blue was a key partner, bridges the gap between environmental stewardship and sport. The project has been shortlisted for the 11th Hour Racing Impact Award, and was a landmark collaboration uniting conservation bodies and the recreational boating community to restore and protect fragile seagrass meadows and maerl beds in five Special Areas of Conservation across southern England.

Voting at the World Sailing Awards is open to the public from today, with the online vote accounting for 50% of the final decision.

You have until 2300 UTC on Sunday 26 October to cast your vote and help us to shine a light on the outstanding impact of British athletes and projects making a real difference in our sport.

Read more about our finalists:

Jazz Turner – Female World Sailor of the Year Finalist

26-year-old Para Inclusive Sailor, Jazz Turner successfully completed her solo, non-stop and unassisted voyage around the British Isles, arriving back at Brighton Marina exactly four weeks after setting off.

In doing so, she became the first known female wheelchair user ever to complete the feat without any support. Battling huge waves, heavy winds and even running aground in Folkestone, Kent, the day before completing the 2,070 mile (3,331km) journey, she showed extraordinary courage, determination and resilience by using her anchors and the spring tide to get off the rocks.

Alongside this, she raised over £50,000 for Sailability, using the funds to purchase boats that are now giving other athletes with disabilities the opportunity to enjoy life on the water.

Jazz is not just an exceptional sailor; she is a changemaker and a role model whose impact reaches far beyond the racecourse.

LIFE Recreation ReMEDIES Project – 11th Hour Racing Impact Award Finalist

The LIFE Recreation ReMEDIES Project (2019–2024) is a landmark collaboration uniting conservation bodies and the recreational boating community to restore and protect fragile seagrass meadows and maerl beds across five Special Areas of Conservation in southern England.

Funded by the EU LIFE Programme and led by Natural England with partners including the RYA through its environmental programme, the RYA Green Blue, Ocean Conservation Trust, Marine Conservation Society and Plymouth City Council the project bridges the gap between environmental stewardship and sport.

Seagrass habitats are critical carbon stores, biodiversity hotspots, and natural defences against coastal erosion. Yet, they face mounting pressures from human activity. ReMEDIES addressed this challenge through practical restoration, sustainable infrastructure, and community engagement. Eight hectares of seagrass were restored using innovative planting techniques, 17 Advanced eco-Mooring Systems (AMS) were installed to protect seabed, and three voluntary no-anchor zones were created.

Alongside these physical interventions, the project reached over 29,000 people through 560+ outreach events, engaged more than 7,000 schoolchildren in marine education, and trained over 2,427boaters and young sailors in sustainable anchoring practices.

Uptake of AMS rose from 5% to 22% between 2021 and 2024, while boaters pledging to avoid anchoring in seagrass increased from 17% to 41%. By embedding environmental responsibility into recreational boating culture, the project enhanced biodiversity, improved water quality, and demonstrated that sport can be a catalyst for conservation. The legacy of ReMEDIES continues through new restoration projects and the ongoing adoption of its tools and guidance in the UK and internationally.