SAILOR OF THE YEAR AWARD
Winners & History
History: 1986-2023 – Rolex Sailor of the Year
The award was first presented by Rolex Canada in 1986 to America’s Cup supporter Paul Phelan, who successfully organized a merger between Canada’s top 12-meter syndicates. Rolex Canada continued to present Canada’s Sailor of the Year to many more outstanding Canadian sailors through 2023.
Winners
| 2025 | Richard Clarke |
| 2024 | Lee Parkhill |
| 2023 | Melodie Schaffer |
| 2022 | Antonia & Georgia Lewin-LaFrance |
| 2020-2021 | Sarah Douglas |
| 2019 | Sarah Douglas |
| 2018 | Tom Ramshaw |
| 2017 | Brenda Bowskill |
| 2016 | John McRoberts & Jackie Gay |
| 2015 | Lee Parkhill |
| 2014 | Eric Holden |
| 2013 | Terry McLaughlin |
| 2012 | Oskar Johansson |
| 2011 | Paul D Phelan |
| 2010 | Fredrik D Eaton |
| 2009 | Curtis Florence |
| 2008 | Paul Tingley |
| 2007 | Evert Bastet |
| 2006 | Michael Leigh |
| 2005 | Chris Cook |
| 2004 | Ross MacDonald & Mike Wolfs |
| 2003 | Derek Hatfield |
| 2002 | Stephen Tupper |
| 2001 | Terry McLaughlin |
| 2000 | Livius Sherwood |
| 1999 | Richard Clarke |
| 1998 | Dirk Kneulman |
| 1997 | Gerry Roufs |
| 1996 | Bill Abbott, Joanne Abbott & Brad Boston |
| 1995 | Ross Cameron |
| 1994 | Paul Henderson |
| 1993 | Karen Johnson, Jennifer Normand, Suzanne Calladine & Cathy McPherson |
| 1992 | Ross Macdonald and Eric Jespersen |
| 1991 | Hank Lammens |
| 1990 | Ross Macdonald |
| 1989 | Andre Julien |
| 1988 | Lawrence Lemieux |
| 1987 | John Hughes |
| 1986 | Paul J. Phelan, CM |
