Tall Ships America is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Sail Training Awards presented by Kong USA. Winners were recognized at an awards ceremony held a during the 2026 Annual Conference on Sail Training & Tall Ships on February 11. These awards highlight the achievements and contributions of individuals and programs involved in the work and the community of sail training and tall ships. Receiving a Tall Ships America Award is a high honor and celebration of the people dedicated to the principle that experience under sail strengthens character through authentic challenge.
TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® Port of the Year- 2025 Great Lakes Series Brockville Tall Ships® Festival for highlighting the incredible community of Brockville with an exemplary event, showcasing their hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm, while furthering public recognition of sail training and tall ships.
Nancy Richardson Volunteer of the Year Award Jillian Votava for her tireless work to support sail training, education at sea, and women in the maritime industry.
Young Sail Trainer of the Year Anna Maria Hansen for her work in executing safe, professional programs as senior captain for Sailing Ships Maine. Hansen’s shipboard and shoreside work were critical to Sailing Ships Maine winning their Sea Education Program of the Year award.
Sail Trainer(s) of the Year Captain Alison Taylor for her leadership on Sea Education Association voyages throughout the Pacific Ocean, and her mentorship to other captains and educators throughout the tall ships fleet.
Captain Laura “LP” Page for her exceptional work with Living Classrooms Foundation on the recommissioned Lady Maryland, which hosted 1,745 students on 96 programs in 2025.
Michael J. Rauworth Leadership Award Marguerite Pyron for her ability to build coalitions that extend the reach and visibility of sail training far beyond her own organization. As the leader of Broad Reach Canada, Marguerite transformed the single ship operation into an 8-vessel fleet and secured over $3,000,000 in federal funding for Ships2Shore, a collaborative sail training & community service program. Since 2023, Ships2Shore participants have contributed over 28,000 hours of volunteer service to their communities and funding has been shared with 5 other sail training organizations.
Lifetime Achievement Award Alan Olson for over 70 years of service to creating sail training opportunities for young people, particularly for youth with financial difficulties. Whether in terms of nautical miles travelled or youth served, Olson is among the most prolific sail trainers in American history. Olson is reputation is built on delivering high-quality learning opportunities through curiosity-driven and evidence-based programs that provide transformative experiences for young people. Through Call of the Sea, he has labored tirelessly to create an equitable, welcoming, and empowering community for many volunteers, staff, and crew that worked for the organization. Olson’s builds and restorations (Stone Witch, Maramel, Matthew Turner among them), have been key vessels in the Pacific sail training fleet.
Sea Education Program(s) of the Year Sailing Ships Maine for their Seeds of Independence & MET Student Programs. Sailing Ships Maine’s work with both programs created sail training opportunities for learners that are aimed at students with needs – financial, emotional, academic – with the aim of changing their thinking about their lives and their potential. Participants engaged in sail training and leadership development, accompanied by exploration of the ocean environment.
Kalmar Nyckel Foundation for their history-oriented educational programming aboard the ship, Kalmar Nyckel. KNF educational programs provide a broad array of on-water sailing experiences, hands-on educational programs, and community events for all ages, reaching over 40,000 students and visitors a year. Kalmar Nyckel’s volunteers contribute over 42,000 hours per year in service of preserving and promoting the maritime and cultural heritage of Delaware and the Delaware Valley.
Captain Frank J. Bailey National Maritime Excellence Fund Sail Training Program of the Year Living Classrooms Foundation’s Francis J. Carey, Jr. Maritime Adventure aboard Lady Maryland. This sail training program is a co-ed, 8-day liveaboard overnight experience for students ages 13-16, funded through generous support from the Frank W. Carey Foundation. This tuition-free program brings the joy of traditional sailing and maritime skills to students from a variety of Baltimore City backgrounds. Students learn fellowship and community by assisting in all aspects of sailing and maintaining Lady Maryland. Students develop deep connections to the environment as they abandon screens and learn navigation, meteorology, and environmental stewardship.
The Captain Frank J. Bailey National Maritime Excellence Fund Sail Training Program of the Year award comes with a financial prize from the Captain Frank J. Bailey National Maritime Excellence Fund, established by Captain Thomas Hagen. Tall Ships America expresses its deep gratitude to Captain Hagen’s tireless support of Tall Ships America and its member programs that significantly contribute to the development of seamanship, navigation skills, teamwork, and leadership skills and contribute to the sail training and educational credibility of programs under sail.
To learn more about past winners of these awards, please visit the awards page on our website: Awards – Tall Ships America
About Tall Ships America Founded in 1973, Tall Ships America is a non-profit organization commended by Congress as The National Sail Training Organization representing the United States. We support and promote the ships, people, and programs of sail training and the tall ships through relationships with government and regulatory agencies, advocacy, professional development and training, the Annual Conference on Sail Training and Tall Ships, the TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE® Series of races and events, scholarships and grants, and the biannual publication of Sail Tall Ships!, the world’s definitive directory of sail training.
About Kong USA
Kong USA specializes in climbing gear and safety equipment, with a manufacturing tradition dating back to 1830. Based in Bristol, Rhode Island, Kong USA offers a wide range of equipment, including stretchers, carabiners, and harnesses, designed for climbers, rescue professionals, outdoor enthusiasts and tall ships crew. The company emphasizes quality and safety, ensuring that its products meet rigorous standards for performance and reliability.
