November 7, 2024
2 minutes reading time
A standing ovation for Aiko Saito in recognition of a life spent enriching the sport of sailing
Aiko Saito, former Olympic 470 and Europe class sailor and now coach, volunteer and much-loved World Sailing and Japanese Sailing Federation committee member, received a standing ovation at the World Sailing Awards as her name was read out.
She was presented with the Beppe Croce trophy in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the sport to universal agreement at the historic CHIJMES Hall in Singapore.
Aiko represented Japan at the Seoul 88 and Atlanta 96 Olympic Games, and was Team Leader at the 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 Olympics.
In particular, it was her work at Tokyo 2020 in which she represented the best of the sport – held at her home club of Enoshima, she worked tirelessly to provide support for all teams, promoting collaboration and fair play and ensuring all athletes got the chance to perform during the challenging circumstances of the pandemic.
Speaking at the World Sailing Awards, Aiko said, “I don’t call it hard work; I just enjoy it. I started sailing internationally in 1978 at the IYRU Women’s Worlds in the Netherlands – and have been to two Olympic Games as a sailor and four as Team Leader, and after that I helped towards sailing activities.
“All of the time it is enjoyable, and I like this sport, so I wanted to give something back to sailing. I am happy to receive this trophy today, and would like to thank everyone I have met in this sport, and of course my mentor Takao Otani. I hope everyone keeps sailing until you get much older, and then are able to give something back.”
For the past eight years and counting, Aiko has volunteered her time to work on World Sailing commissions, committees and working parties – ensuring the needs and interests of coaches and athletes are considered at the highest levels of the sport.
She has also volunteered to support committees and commissions of the Japanese Sailing Federation since 2001.
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At Paris 2024, Aiko supported World Sailing by working as the conduit between coaches and the International Federation and Paris 2024, helping both organisations understand the feedback and needs of the teams and the athletes. Aiko also consulted on coach technology and ensuring compliance from coaches with the spirit as well as the letter of the rules.
Presenting the award, double gold-medallist Shirley Robertson OBE described Aiko as “one of the best humans on the planet”, and judging by the reaction to the announcement that she had been chosen as this year’s winner it is hard to disagree.