Water

Swarm of swimmers thrashing through the water at an Iron Man contest.Mallory Franklin smiling at the camera lens under water as she capsizes her canoe.Black & White image of kayaker bursting through water with paddle.Boats sailing in the distance through the glistening deep blue sea.Lucas Chumbo dropping in on a massive wave during surf competition.Two cold water swimmers preparing to immerse themselves in the cold water and foggy conditions.Offshore rowing boat capsizing after being wiped out by big wave whilst rowers are thrown from boat.Two rowers practising rowing across a misty lake at sunrise.Swarm of swimmers thrashing through the water at an Iron Man contest.Mallory Franklin smiling at the camera lens under water as she capsizes her canoe.Black & White image of kayaker bursting through water with paddle.Boats sailing in the distance through the glistening deep blue sea.Lucas Chumbo dropping in on a massive wave during surf competition.
Swarm of swimmers thrashing through the water at an Iron Man contest.Mallory Franklin smiling at the camera lens under water as she capsizes her canoe.Black & White image of kayaker bursting through water with paddle.Boats sailing in the distance through the glistening deep blue sea.Lucas Chumbo dropping in on a massive wave during surf competition.Two cold water swimmers preparing to immerse themselves in the cold water and foggy conditions.Offshore rowing boat capsizing after being wiped out by big wave whilst rowers are thrown from boat.Two rowers practising rowing across a misty lake at sunrise.Swarm of swimmers thrashing through the water at an Iron Man contest.Mallory Franklin smiling at the camera lens under water as she capsizes her canoe.Black & White image of kayaker bursting through water with paddle.Boats sailing in the distance through the glistening deep blue sea.Lucas Chumbo dropping in on a massive wave during surf competition.Two cold water swimmers preparing to immerse themselves in the cold water and foggy conditions.Offshore rowing boat capsizing after being wiped out by big wave whilst rowers are thrown from boat.Two rowers practising rowing across a misty lake at sunrise.

About

Capturing a surfer carving through a wave, a kayaker navigating a rapid, or a windsurfer gliding across the water makes for some of the most amazing shots in the World Sports Photography Awards. Sport plus water is primal and compelling. And photos that capture the movement and fluidity of both are striking and intriguing.

2023 Winners
2022 Winners
2021 Winners

2023 Winners

GOLD

Justine Dupont

by Octávio Passos

SILVER

Perfect dawn

by Nigel Roddis

BRONZE

Bottom turn

by Matrix Images (Nic Bothma)

Special Merit

Special Merit

Balance

by Martin Dokoupil

Special Merit

Tree Trunk Gorge

by Rod Hill

Special Merit

Huka Falls

by Rod Hill

Special Merit

Cold Water Man

by Bernard Brault

Special Merit

Eyes on the prize

by Antoine Justes

Special Merit

Higher than the palm trees

by Henrique Casinhas

Special Merit

Para - Slalom

by Josef Hinterleitner

2022 Winners

Black & White image of kayaker bursting through water with paddle.

GOLD

Untitled

by Morgan Treacy

Boats sailing in the distance through the glistening deep blue sea.

SILVER

Untitled

by Tomasz Markowski

Lucas Chumbo dropping in on a massive wave during surf competition.

BRONZE

Lucas Chumbo - Nazare Big Waves

by Octávio Passos

Special Merit

Tiny surfer being chased by a massive wave at the TUDOR Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge.

Special Merit

Running Away From The Monster

by Henrique Casinhas

Surfer, Justine Dupont, being chased by a huge wave.

Special Merit

Justine Dupont - Nazare Big Waves

by Octávio Passos

Silhouette of diver at the 2021 FINA World Swimming Championships.

Special Merit

FINA World Swimming Championships 2021

by Mahmoud Khaled

Cold water swimmers in wetsuits and swim caps entering water at a lake at sunrise.

Special Merit

Triathlete Sunrise

by Donald Miralle

2021 Winners

Mallory Franklin smiling at the camera lens under water as she capsizes her canoe.

GOLD

Mallory Franklin British slalom canoeist

by Richard Pelham

Mikey Brennan surfing a huge wave at Ship Stern's Bluff.

SILVER

Mikey Brennan Shipsterns Bluff

by Lance Morgan

Offshore rowing boat capsizing after being wiped out by big wave whilst rowers are thrown from boat.

BRONZE

Crash Landing

by Scott Barbour

Special Merit

Fifteen year old Paralympian Jessica Long diving into the pool as her prosthetic legs sit on the side.

Special Merit

Jessica Long

by Marc Aspland

Swarm of swimmers thrashing through the water at an Iron Man contest.

Special Merit

Ironman Swim Start

by Brandon Magnus

Black & White image of Jess Fox in action during slalom canoe race.

Special Merit

Jess Fox

by Phil Hillyard

Bilgola offshore rowing team thrown from boat in wave wipe out.

Special Merit

Wipeout!

by Scott Barbour

Two cold water swimmers preparing to immerse themselves in the cold water and foggy conditions.

Special Merit

The Fog

by Clodagh Kilcoyne

Kayaker travelling through lava-like water.

Special Merit

Kayaking on Lava

by Leonid Zhukov

Black & White image of swimmer launching himself into the breaking waves of the sea.

Special Merit

Sets

by Ryan Pierse

View More Breathtaking Pictures

WINNERS

View Winning Photos from 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020

FINALISTS

View Shortlisted Photos from 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020

AMATEUR

View Amateur Photos from 2022 & 2023

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