Nine judges drawn from Olympic sailing, sustainability and the maritime industry have been named to decide the 2026 World Sailing Awards.
The panel will work through all entries and whittle them down to shortlists across every category, due to be announced on 26 October 2026.
From there, it's over to the sailing world. Once the shortlists are revealed, fans get a vote, which sits alongside the judges' own decisions in determining the eventual winners.
The winners will be celebrated at a live awards ceremony in Qingdao, China, on 18 November 2026, as part of the World Sailing Annual Conference.
Categories up for grabs this year include the Rolex World Sailor of the Year awards for both male and female sailors, the Young World Sailor of the Year awards, the 11th Hour Racing Impact Award, and Team of the Year. The Beppe Croce Trophy and President's Development Award round things out, both special honours determined by the World Sailing Board and President.
The panel draws judges from several continents. Julie Duffus brings sustainability expertise from her role at the International Olympic Committee, where she advises on environmental, social and ethical strategy across major projects. Nuno Gomes, a geologist and university lecturer in Angola, adds a similar environmental lens, alongside roles with the African Sailing Confederation and World Sailing's own Sustainability Commission.
On the media side, Andy Rice needs little introduction to anyone who follows the sport closely. He has covered everything from the Olympics to the America's Cup, The Ocean Race and the Vendée Globe, and now reports on the SailGP circuit as well as big offshore projects like Ferrari Hypersail and Gitana 18.
Dave Hughes offers a sailor's perspective few can match. A six-time keelboat world champion and two-time Olympian, he is also Vice President of World Sailing and chairs its Athletes' Committee.
Lisa Darmanin, the Australian Olympic silver medallist, competed for years in the Nacra 17 with cousin Jason Waterhouse before moving into broadcasting and ocean conservation work. Singapore's Kimberly Lim brings her own Olympic pedigree, having competed at Tokyo 2020 after winning Asian Games gold in both the 420 and 49erFX classes.
Alessandra Franchi, an Italian para sailor racing in the Hansa 303 class, adds an inclusion-focused voice to the panel, having medalled at both the Hansa World Championships and the World Sailing Inclusion Championships. Michelle Carnevale, President of 11th Hour Racing, brings a strong climate and ocean policy background from her earlier work at the University of Rhode Island Coastal Resources Center.
Rounding out the panel is Santiago Lange, the Argentinian sailor and naval architect who won Rolex World Sailor of the Year himself in 2016. He has represented Argentina at seven Olympic Games across 32 years, winning a gold and two bronze Olympic medals and four world championship titles, a career highlighted by his Rio 2016 gold medal, won after treatment for lung cancer in 2015.
No New Zealand sailors feature on this year's judging panel. Kiwi fans will nonetheless have their say once public voting opens following the shortlist announcement in October.
