Emirates Team New Zealand has taken out the 2025 World Sailing Team of the Year award, an honour that recognises both their extraordinary run of results and the culture of innovation and collective effort that has made those results possible.
The backdrop to this recognition is the team's third consecutive America's Cup victory, claimed in Barcelona in 2024, a feat that places them firmly among the most decorated combinations in the competition's lengthy history. For those leading the team, though, the award means something beyond the silverware, because it shines a light on the group rather than any single person.
“This recognition is especially meaningful to us because it is not about any one person. It’s about the strength of the team,” said Kevin Shoebridge, Chief Operating Officer of Emirates Team New Zealand. “Every single person in our organisation — from the sailors and designers to the boatbuilders, shore crew, and the families who support us — plays a crucial role in what we achieve together. This award belongs to all of them.”
The World Sailing Team of the Year Award exists to celebrate excellence built through unity, a principle that sits at the very core of Emirates Team New Zealand's approach. Their reputation rests on a willingness to push design boundaries, combine expertise across different disciplines, and maintain a culture grounded in trust, mutual respect, and an unwavering pursuit of improvement.
That spirit reaches well beyond the racing itself. In accepting the award, Emirates Team New Zealand took time to acknowledge the other nominees, recognising the passion and calibre of talent present throughout the global sailing community. They reserved particular praise for Dani A Pich, the blind sailor representing Yes We Sail, whose solo circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight earlier this year drew admiration from around the world. The team had supported Pich and his crew during the America's Cup in Barcelona and continues to champion greater inclusivity and accessibility across the sport.
"We're proud to stand alongside nominees who embody the best of what sailing represents, skill, perseverance, and sportsmanship," said Grant Dalton, CEO of Emirates Team New Zealand. "Dani A Pich's story reminds us why we do what we do. This award reflects the collective spirit of the sailing community."
With future campaigns on the horizon, Emirates Team New Zealand shows no sign of easing its ambitions, continuing to press forward in design, performance, and teamwork as it carries the Aotearoa flag on the world stage.
