Wearn nomination

Double Olympic champion Matt Wearn is a finalist for the 2026 Rolex World Sailor of the Year award following a successful return to international ILCA 7 racing.

Photography by Beau Outteridge

28 October 2026

Matt Wearn has been named one of four male finalists for the 2026 Rolex World Sailor of the Year award after winning five of the six regattas he contested and securing silver at the ILCA 7 World Championship.

Wearn’s nomination follows a season that included victories at three Sailing Grand Slam events. Public voting is open until 2 November and accounts for 50 percent of the final result, alongside the assessment of World Sailing’s expert judging panel.

After taking a break from competition following his second Olympic gold medal at Paris 2024, Wearn returned to racing with victory at Sail Melbourne in November 2025. He followed that with his seventh Australian ILCA 7 Championship title in January 2026.

Matt Wearn celebrates victory at the Princess Sofía Trophy in Palma, Mallorca.

Australian Olympic champion Matt Wearn in action in the ILCA 7 class.

The Australian continued his winning form in Europe, claiming the Trofeo Princesa Sofía in Palma and Semaine Olympique Française in Hyères. He then won the San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta on the waters set to host sailing at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

At the ILCA 7 World Championship in Dún Laoghaire, Ireland, Wearn climbed from ninth overall to claim silver after a strong final day.

It’s an honour to be recognised for this year’s performance on such a high level. Some amazing names and achievements to go up against,” says Wearn.

His fellow finalists are French offshore sailor and record-holder Thomas Coville, Singaporean Formula Kite World Champion Max Maeder and Dutch iQFOiL World Champion Luuc van Opzeeland.

Australian sailors have a strong record in the awards. Tom Slingsby has won the male category three times, while James Spithill received the honour in 2014 and Mathew Belcher in 2013.

The winners will be announced on 18 November during the World Sailing Annual Conference in Qingdao, China.

Vote at worldsailing.awardsplatform.com

australiansailingteam.com.au