Jazz Turner and Dani Pich’s YesWeSail finalists in the 2025 World Sailing Awards

British sailor Jazz Turner is a finalist for the Rolex World Sailor of the Year (Female) award. At just 26, Turner became the first known female wheelchair user to complete a solo, non-stop, and unassisted circumnavigation of the British Isles—a gruelling four-week voyage that tested the limits of endurance and skill.

Jazz lives with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a rare debilitating genetic condition that affects connective tissue and causes frequent seizures and faints without warning, but this did not stop her from raising £45,000 for charity. She used her 27ft (8m) boat named Fear for the solo, non-stop and unassisted navigation and said the journey was physically exhausting at times, but that it feels “unreal” to have done it.

YesWeSail, the organisation co-founded by Pich, has earned its nomination for Team of the Year as a result of its incredible work in making sailing accessible for individuals with sensory disabilities. The initiative has three core missions: designing protocols for safe autonomous sailing, developing innovative technology to assist sailors with disabilities, and campaigning for the reinstatement of sailing in the Paralympic Games for Brisbane 2032.

The organisation’s impact was powerfully demonstrated this year by Dani Pich, himself a blind sailor, who made history by becoming the first person to sail solo and unaided around the Isle of Wight. His incredible journey captured global attention and showcased the immense potential of inclusive sailing. YesWeSail is in esteemed company for the Team of the Year award, nominated alongside America’s Cup winners Emirates Team New Zealand, Irish offshore team Headcase, and the French Match in Pink by Normandy Elite Team.

The nominations place the para-sailing advocates among the sport’s elite, with winners to be announced at a gala ceremony in Dún Laoghaire, Ireland, on November 5, 2025.

The World Sailing Awards are the sport’s most prestigious event, celebrating outstanding achievements from the grassroots level to the pinnacle of the sport. The winners are decided by a combination of an expert judging panel and a public vote, which accounts for 50% of the final result.