Two of the world’s most prestigious multihull awards have now delivered their 2026 verdicts, and with the awards season still well underway, some early patterns are already emerging. Across both the Multihull of the Year and the Yacht Style Awards, certain brands and boats didn’t just win once. They won twice, at two different events, judged by two different panels. With more events still to come, that kind of early consistency is worth noting.
Here is what the results so far tell us about the brands setting the pace in 2026.
Beneteau Group: the broadest reach in the business
No single manufacturer group made a broader impression across both events than the Beneteau Group. With brands spanning Lagoon, Jeanneau, Prestige, Excess, and Beneteau itself, the group collected eight wins from seven models, a result that reflects not just the scale of the organisation but the depth of its design and engineering across every segment of the market.
The Prestige M7 was perhaps the group’s most emphatic statement. It won the Power 45-60′ category at the Multihull of the Year and the Power Catamaran 16-20m category at the Yacht Style Awards, making it the only boat across both events to claim top honours at both. For a brand that has steadily built its reputation in the power catamaran space, that kind of cross-event recognition is a significant milestone.
Lagoon contributed two wins of its own, with the Lagoon 38 taking the Sail under 45′ category at the Multihull of the Year and the Lagoon Eighty 2 claiming the Sailing Catamaran above 18m at the Yacht Style Awards. Together, they demonstrate the brand’s ability to deliver at opposite ends of the size spectrum. Jeanneau added two more with the TH38 and the Sun Odyssey 455, while Excess and Beneteau each contributed a further category win. For a group that operates across this many brands and boat types, consistency of this quality is genuinely impressive.
Azimut|Benetti Group: excellence from bow to stern
The Azimut|Benetti Group had a strong showing at the Yacht Style Awards, collecting three wins that spanned two of its flagship brands and an industry recognition award. The Azimut Grande 30M took the Motoryacht 27-30m category, while the Benetti B.Now 67M claimed the Superyacht 60-80m title. The group was also named Most Active Global Yacht Group, an acknowledgement of its reach, ambition, and consistent presence in markets around the world. For a group that has long defined the upper end of the production yacht market, these results affirm a position that shows no sign of softening.
Leopard Catamarans: the same boat, two different trophies
One of the most telling results across both events was the performance of the Leopard 52. It won the Sail 45-55′ category at the Multihull of the Year and the Sailing Catamaran 14-18m category at the Yacht Style Awards, two separate events, two separate judging panels, the same outcome. For a boat to achieve that kind of consistency across events with different criteria and different audiences is a strong endorsement of what Robertson & Caine have produced. The Leopard 52 looks set to be one of the defining sailing catamarans of its generation.
Aquila: the newcomer making a serious impression
Perhaps the most compelling story across both events belongs to Aquila. As a brand still building its global profile, the results it delivered in a single week were remarkable. The Aquila 46 Yacht won the Power Catamaran 12-16m category at the Yacht Style Awards, while the Aquila 50 Sail, the brand’s first-ever sailing model, claimed the International Multihull Show Premiere award at the Multihull of the Year and also reached the podium in the Sail 45-55′ category. Two models, two events, multiple podiums. For a brand making its first foray into the sailing market at the same time as defending its power catamaran credentials, that is a result worth paying close attention to.
Sanlorenzo Group: luxury that speaks for itself
The Sanlorenzo Group rounded out the major multi-win performers with two category victories through its brands. The Bluegame BGX83 took the Motoryacht 24-27m category at the Yacht Style Awards, while the Sanlorenzo SX120 claimed the Superyacht 30-40m title. Both results sit comfortably within a brand philosophy that has always prioritised considered design and a refined ownership experience over volume. Two wins, two very different boats, one very clear point of view.
The takeaway
What the early 2026 awards season has made clear is that the brands performing most consistently are those investing across multiple product lines rather than relying on a single standout model. Breadth of range, depth of design, and the ability to deliver across categories and price points are the qualities the judges have rewarded so far. And with the Prestige M7 and Leopard 52 each claiming wins at both major events, the boats that truly earn their reputation tend to do so more than once.
With the awards season far from over, it will be worth watching whether these early frontrunners continue to dominate, or whether the field opens up as more events deliver their results.
