The 45-meter sailing yacht Saudade, designed by Tripp Design and built at Wally Europe, was this year’s winner of “Best Sailing Yacht 45-meter + Size Range” at the Boat International Superyacht Awards held in London on May 23, 2009.

Out of the five contenders, the judges noted, "This was a closely contested class that pitted four similar yachts against a more radical one. All were highly capable performance cruisers thought equally capable of taking the crown but the judges chose to recognize a yacht that combined radical looks with high-tech, lightweight construction and excellent sailing performance, while providing her highly experienced owner with the style, comfort and blue-ocean cruising capabilities that he sought. This deserving winner was Saudade, an impressive world-ranging yacht that is equally at home on the racetrack."