Voting has now opened to decide the 2024 Yachtsman of the Year & Young Sailor of the Year
The Yachting Journalists’ Association (YJA) is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2024 Yachtsman of the Year and Young Sailor of the Year.
These highly regarded accolades celebrate exceptional achievements in performance, seamanship, sportsmanship, and youth talent across the sailing and watersports sectors.
The shortlist for the 2024 Yachtsman of the Year is as follows:
Ellie Aldridge: Ellie Aldridge took Gold in the Formula Kite event at the 2024 Paris Olympics and brought home the only Gold medal for the British Sailing Team. Previously, she dominated the kite foiling circuit, and was part of the Athena Parthway Women’s America’s Cup Team.
Heather Thomas: Heather Thomas skippered Maiden to first place in the 2023-2024 Ocean Globe Race – the first time an all-women crew have won a round-the-world yacht race. Her leadership and skills have helped break new ground in sailing equality.
Ian Williams: Ian Williams is one of Britain’s most successful racers, having won the World Match Racing Tour title a record eight times. He also played a highly regarded coaching and rules role with the INEOS Britannia team in the 37th America’s Cup.
The shortlist for the 2024 Young Sailor of the Year is as follows:
Hari Clark: Hari Clark began sailing in 2021 at Draycote Water Sailing Club and started racing in Autumn 2022. Having obtained an ex-John Merricks Sailing Trust-funded boat, he joined the Draycote Academy which teaches young sailors to compete at the highest level. He convincingly won the 2024 Topper 4.2 World Championship title, after winning 10 of the 15 races.
Jessye Opoku-Ware: The backbone of the Scaramouche Sailing Trust and the Greig City Academy Sailing Programme, Jesse Opoku-Ware was the 2024 Cowes Week Youth Trophy joint winner. He coaches younger sailors, is the facilitator of the girls’ team in part by engineering the double-handed RSYC event, and devotes his time to spreading the positive message of sailing to clubs and schools.
Jess Powell: Jess Powell took victory in the 2024 Topper 5.3 Nationals – the first female to win back-to-back National Championships in this class. She is also the Winter and Welsh champion. In the ILCA 4, she won the National Series, and came 3rd overall in the National Championships (Female National Champion). She also won the Inland Championships in the ILCA 6 Female fleet.
William Stratton Brown: Having finished 3rd in the RS Feva Worlds, Frensham Pond sailor William Stratton Brown went on to win the RS Tera Pro Worlds in Denmark a week later. His performance was exceptional, winning nine out of 12 races, and coming second in two more. His final result was 11 points – an impressive 14 points clear of his nearest rival. Will also won the 2024 RS Tera Pro nationals.
Voting is only open to members of the Yachting Journalists’ Association.
Only one vote is allowed for each category and members will need to submit their YJA membership number, which can be found on the membership card.
To vote, click the link here
The deadline for voting is 23:59GMT on Thursday, 6th February 2025.
The winners will be unveiled at the upcoming RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show at 5pm on Saturday, 22 February on the Sunsail Main Stage.
This year’s awards are supported by Henri Lloyd and sMRT.
The YJA invites the sailing community, friends and family to celebrate these exceptional individuals and join us at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show.