November 13, 2024
2 minutes reading time
From last to first, Botin and Trittel prove that anything is possible in sailing
After finishing in ninth place at the end of SailGP Season 3, the Spanish team led by Diego Botin and Florian Trittel returned more determined than ever. Their hard work paid off when, at the Season 4 Grand Final in San Francisco, the team held off New Zealand and Australia to take the title by a matter of seconds.
This triumph was quickly followed by Olympic gold for the pair in the Men’s Skiff to cap a stunning 49er season which also saw them win at the Semaine Olympique Francaise and the Princess Sofia Regatta.
These achievements were recognised at the World Sailing Awards when Botin and Trittel collected the 2024 male Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award.
Speaking at the awards the pair praised their commitment to maintaining their values and winning their way.
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Florian Trittel said, “For me and Diego, our first time being shortlisted and coming out on top and winning the Rolex World Sailor of the Year fills us with gratitude. It is something we have looked up to since we were small kids. It is still hard to believe, but at the same time we are taking it with a big sense of duty. We are sports ambassadors in this beautiful sport of sailing and we have to embody the values the sport represents.
“For us it is about inspiring everybody to believe that anything is possible and it is absolutely critical to do it always based on values, such as equality, respect, the pursuit of excellence and humility. I think they have always been in the core of what we have been doing and to me, as long as anybody pursues a dream based on values, it will take them far. Success is never a solo endeavour. You always require a team with resilience, and great teamwork with honest values is the magic to achieve anything you can dream of.
“At the end of the day, we have been realising that what counts more than the outcome is the incredible journey we have been on. We have grown so much, so that is what will last forever and we feel gratitude from the bottom of our hearts.”