Jazz Turner has been named Yachtsman of the Year by the Yachting Journalist Association (YJA) in a ceremony at the Royal Yachting Association Dinghy and Watersports Show. In 2025 Turner became the first woman and disabled person to sail solo, non stop, and unassisted around The United Kingdom and Ireland. 

Turner lives with Ehlers Danlos syndrome, a progressive genetic disorder for which she received a terminal diagnosis in December of 2023. She decided to spend the estimated six months she had left out on the water. In July of 2025, she was still sailing and completed her circumnavigation of The United Kingdom and Ireland. 

“It is a real honour to be nominated, let alone to win,” Turner says. “To be alongside the names on the trophy is surreal but the award goes far beyond just what I did. It is about creating opportunities for all disabled sailors and showing that anything is possible with a little bit of imagination and an awful lot of hard work.” 

In addition to her own project, she has raised over 50,000GBP for Sailability, an organization that helps get sailors with disabilities out on the water.  

Turner began sailing at 13 and describes her early sailing years as following the typical dinghy pathway. By the time she was 19, however, she had to pivot to competing in adaptive classes including the 2.4 Metre and RS Venture Connect. Turner, who uses a wheelchair, describes being on board as “freedom,” and hopes to do a global circumnavigation in the 2026 Worldstar Race. 

“We’re delighted for Jazz,” said Chris Hammond, CEO at Henri Lloyd, which sponsors the YJA awards. “Henri-Lloyd has been supporting Jazz since 2023. We’ve been with her all the way, through thick and thin.”

At the awards ceremony, the YJA also named Sabine Potter, Merle Nieuwland, Lila Edwards, and Amelie Hiscocks the Young Sailors of the Year for their efforts at the Youth Worlds in the 420 and 29er classes.

“Our winners represent not only outstanding performance, but dedication, teamwork and resilience,” YJA Chair Katy Stickland says. “It was a privilege to celebrate their achievements on stage at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show, and we are incredibly grateful to Henri-Lloyd for continuing their generous support of these awards.”

For more on Turner and her upcoming project, click here.

Images courtesy of Mark Jardine / YJA