Saxdor’s Founder and Chief Designer Sakari Mattila wins Judges’ Special Award at Motor Boat Awards 2026

Sakari Mattila, founder and chief designer of Saxdor Yachts, has been honored with the prestigious Judges’ Special Award at the Motor Boat Awards 2026, organized annually by Motor Boat & Yachting magazine. The award was presented during a gala ceremony in Düsseldorf on 20 January, recognizing Mattila’s exceptional vision and contribution to the motorboat industry over a remarkable 48-year career.

Praised by the jury for his distinctive understanding of what boat buyers truly want, an unwavering entrepreneurial spirit, and a visionary ability to identify and set new trends for the industry, Mattila has been behind many of the most innovative boat brands in recent years. After an early entrepreneurial career in other sectors, Mattila turned fully toward his passion for design and boating, founding Aquador in 1994, Paragon in 2004, co-founding XO Boats in 2008 and Axopar in 2012. After leaving Axopar in 2018, he went on to build his most recent venture, Saxdor Yachts, from the ground up, further cementing his reputation as one of the industry’s most influential designers and innovators.

Founded in 2019, Saxdor quickly gained acclaim for its bold design, exceptional drivability, and accessibility. Since then, the brand has expanded rapidly across international markets and today is recognised as Europe’s fastest-growing motorboat brand, reaching a year-on-year revenue growth of +65% from €109 million in 2024 to over €180 million in 2025. Most recently, the new flagship, Saxdor 460 GTC, has been unveiled at boot Düsseldorf 2026, where it has already attracted significant attention.

The Judges’ Special Award was accepted on Mattila’s behalf by Erna Rusi, CEO of Saxdor Yachts, who paid tribute to his relentless drive and uncompromising standards: “We are incredibly proud to see Sakari and his legacy honored with this award. He is a true force of nature, a visionary designer with an unmatched work ethic and an uncompromising eye for detail. Sakari is never satisfied with ‘good enough’: I’ve seen him halt a product just before launch and starting again from scratch to make it right. That relentless drive, passion, and belief in innovation define not only him, but everything Saxdor stands for. And he is far from finished – there is much more to come.”

Motor Boat & Yachting’s Judges’ Special Award recognises individuals who have made an outstanding and lasting impact on the motorboat industry. For Saxdor Yachts and the wider marine industry, the award underscores Sakari Mattila’s enduring influence, creative vision, and continued drive to redefine modern motorboating.