(1980-04-09) 9 April 1980 (age 44) Ashford, Surrey, England
Medal record
Sailing
Representing Great Britain
Olympic Games
2004 Athens
Yngling class
2008 Beijing
Yngling class
World Championships
2007 Cascais
Yngling
2008 Miami
Yngling
European Championships
2008 Blanes
Yngling
Sarah Lianne AytonOBE (born 9 April 1980 in Ashford, Surrey) is an English former professional sailor.
She won a gold medal in the Yngling sailing class in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens,[1] together with Shirley Robertson and Sarah Webb, and another gold medal in the Yngling sailing class in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, together with Pippa Wilson and Sarah Webb.
She retired from competitive sailing in 2011, citing the competing demands of motherhood.[2]
In 2015 Ayton was the winner of the Female World Sailor of the Year Awards - "the highest award a sailor can receive in recognition of their outstanding achievements in the world of sailing".[3][4]
Having been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2005 New Year Honours, Ayton was promoted to Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours.[5][6] She is divorced from windsurfer Nick Dempsey. Together, they have two sons Thomas-Flynn, who was born on 28 June 2009 and Oscar-Flynn George who was born on 7 March 2012. Sarah married Ashley Harris 12 February 2022
Ayton is a patron of Meningitis UK. Ayton battled with meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia in 1995, when she was aged 14. In 2015 she visited Bosham sailing club, to present prizes at the racing prizegiving.
She retains an active interest in sport, including amateur horse racing.[7]
^Sarah Ayton at Olympics.org.uk at the Wayback Machine (archived 4 September 2004)
^"Double Olympic champion Sarah Ayton quits". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
^"Sarah Ayton World Sailor of the year". www.extremesailingseries.com. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
^"Sailing, saddling up and sacrifice". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
^"New Year Honours--United Kingdom", The London Gazette of Thursday 30 December 2004 Supplement No. 1; accessed 28 August 2022.
^"No. 58929". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2008. p. 9.
^"Sarah Ayton: Double Olympic sailing champion to ride amateur race at Goodwood". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
Sarah Lianne Ayton OBE (born 9 April 1980 in Ashford, Surrey) is an English former professional sailor. She won a gold medal in the Yngling sailing class...
Bio - Rudolf MAYRR at World Sailing WS Sailor Bio - SarahAYTON at World Sailing WS Sailor Bio - Sarah WEBB at World Sailing WS Sailor Bio - Pippa WILSON...
sailing class in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, together with Sarah Webb and SarahAyton. Wilson was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire...
James Spithill Martine Grael Kahena Kunze 2015 Peter Burling Blair Tuke SarahAyton 2016 Santiago Lange Hannah Mills Saskia Clark 2017 Peter Burling Marit...
Brentford David Attenborough – TV wildlife broadcaster, born in Isleworth SarahAyton – Olympic gold medallist in the Yngling sailing class, 2004 and 2008;...
Walker Mark Covell 2000 Sydney Sailing Star Gold Shirley Robertson Sarah Webb SarahAyton 2004 Athens Sailing Yngling Bronze Nick Dempsey 2004 Athens Sailing...
States Sailing Finn class Ben Ainslie Great Britain Yngling class SarahAyton, Sarah Webb, Pippa Wilson Great Britain 49er class Jonas Warrer and Martin...
four August 21 Ben Ainslie Sailing Finn class August 21 SarahAyton Shirley Robertson Sarah Webb Sailing Yngling class August 21 Kelly Holmes Athletics...
Diana Athill, Literary Editor and Author. For services to Literature. SarahAyton, M.B.E., Sailor. For services to Sport. David Bailey, lately Tax Inspector...
Edinburgh's Award Scheme. For services to YoungPeople in Malling, Kent. Ms SarahAyton. For services to Sailing. Paul Ralph Roy Backhouse, Systems Manager,...
Wright Kate Walsh (c) Chloe Rogers Jennie Bimson Rachel Walker Alex Danson Sarah Thomas Jo Ellis Reserve: Katy Roberts (GK) Laura Barlett Group play Source:...
Lange Carlos Espínola Women's Yngling details Great Britain (GBR) SarahAytonSarah Webb Pippa Wilson Netherlands (NED) Mandy Mulder Annemieke Bes Merel...
with Christina Bassadone. She was set to sail with SarahAyton in the 2012 Summer Olympics, but Sarah retired to focus on her family life. Saskia was then...
Global Information
