Sunseeker’s Manhattan 94 has been named Best Exterior Profile in her size category at the World Yacht Trophies 2026, presented during the Cannes Yachting Festival. The award capped a debut week for the yacht that saw her attract significant attention from customers, media and industry professionals at the show.
Yachting’s Grand Finale
The World Yacht Trophies are held on the beach outside the Carlton Hotel as the closing event of the Cannes Yachting Festival, bringing together leading shipyards, designers and innovators from across the industry to compete for one of yachting’s most coveted accolades.
The Manhattan 94 made her global debut at Cannes this year, having been unveiled alongside Sunseeker’s new “Original Mavericks” brand identity, the 45M Superyacht concept and the 86 Ocean Enclosed. Full details of that announcement are covered in Powerboat News’s earlier report: Sunseeker Unveils ‘The Original Mavericks’ Rebrand, Reveals 45M Superyacht and 86 Ocean Enclosed at Cannes.
Hull One Owners Join the Celebration
Sunseeker’s team was joined on stage for the award by the owners of Hull One, the first Manhattan 94 built, who worked closely with the shipyard throughout the build process. Sunseeker says the owners’ presence added to the significance of the award, describing them as having taken pride in a yacht they had helped craft alongside the build team.
Mark Chinery, Sales Director at Sunseeker International, said:
To receive this award for the Manhattan 94 at the end of her global debut week is incredibly special. There is a huge amount of dedication, expertise and passion that goes into creating a yacht of this calibre, so to see her celebrated on one of the industry’s biggest stages is a proud moment for everyone involved.
Chinery added:
What made the evening even more meaningful was sharing it alongside the owners of Hull One. After working together throughout the build journey, handing over the yacht and then standing together to accept this award felt like the perfect culmination of all that hard work. The Manhattan 94 is a yacht we are immensely proud of, and to celebrate this achievement with the people who will create a lifetime of memories on board made it a truly unforgettable moment.
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
