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The following was submitted by SAIL Magazine:
SAIL Magazine Editor-in-Chief Lydia Mullan has been named Young Journalist of the Year by the Yachting Journalists Association (YJA).
Mullan was selected for her work surrounding the wreck of the 40-foot sailing yacht Alliance and the crew’s subsequent rescue under the cover of dark, several hundred miles from shore.
Her award-winning article, “A Eulogy for Alliance,” was a first-person account of the disaster, which led to speaking engagements and a broader discussion within the American racing community about safety at sea and emergency preparedness and response.
“The article was not only a candid account by Lydia of the events surrounding the loss of Alliance, but also the emotional and mental impact of the loss at sea,” says Katy Stickland, chairperson of the Yachting Journalists’ Association.
Mullan has shared publicly about the mental health challenges she faced following the wreck.
“I’m thrilled to be named this year’s Young Journalist of the Year,” says Mullan. “Having taken the helm at SAIL Magazine just a few short months ago — after eight years working with and learning from three other editors in chief before me — it’s a tremendous honor to be recognized by our peers in marine journalism with this award.”
Mullan, who has been with SAIL since 2018, has been twice named the year’s best adventure essayist by Boating Writers International. She was also the race commentator for the 2025 Transpac and Marblehead-Halifax races.
Her writing has led to many international adventures, most recently the completion of a trans-Atlantic crossing with an all-female crew, delivering six climate advocates from Europe to the COP30 in Belem, Brazil.
At the Young Journalist of the Year awards ceremony, held on Monday at the Watermen’s Hall in London,
the YJA also announced a new mentoring scheme aimed at supporting early-career marine journalists.
“My career has been built with the help of so many mentors, teachers, and coaches, without whom I would not be the writer (or person) I am today,” says Mullan. “I know just how impactful mentorship can be in the life of a young person, and I’m very grateful to the YJA for their efforts to invest in and celebrate the young journalists in our industry, both with this award and their new mentoring scheme.”
The event was sponsored by Future, the publisher of Practical Boat Owner, Yachting World, Yachting Monthly and Motor Boat and Yachting, and the sailing and outdoor clothing brand Henri-Lloyd.
For more from Sail Magazine, visit sailmagazine.com.
