Winners crowned at Shetland Sports Awards 2025

SAILOR Maggie Adamson was named Shetland’s Sportsperson of the Year at a glittering 2025 Shetland Sports Awards last night (Friday).

Adamson and team-mate Cal Finlayson were crowned world champions at the offshore double handed championships in France last year in a remarkable milestone for Shetland sailing.

That helped her to see off stiff competition from cyclist Grant Ferguson, a two-time medal winner at the Island Games in Orkney, and Rhea Nicolson – who has won trophies and recorded milestones across both football and hockey in a superb year.

Adamson told Shetland News earlier this week that winning the award “would just be incredible“.

“It would just cap off all the effort and time that people around me have put in to make it possible,” she said.

Athlete Layla Todd was named Young Sportsperson of the Year, after herself scooping a bronze medal in the 5,000m race at the Island Games.

Todd achieved that while struggling with an ankle injury too, and also helped Scotland win a gold medal at under-20 level in a home nations event.

Athletics coaches David Wagstaff, Louise and Tom Jamieson clinched the Coach of the Year prize after helping their athletes to individual and team medals in Orkney and the mainland this year.

Shetland women’s football team – which Nicolson captains – walked away with Team of the Year after lifting the Highlands and Islands League Cup and making history at the Island Games this summer.

Young Team of the Year was Aith rowing team, who not only won under-16 and under-21 rowing regattas this year but also three of seven adult men’s regattas too.

Eid Rowing Club have won all but one of the 18 trophies they competed for this year.

Eid Rowing Club have won all but one of the 18 trophies they competed for this year.

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Charis Scott won the inclusivity award for her inspirational work with Ability Shetland, while Beverly Leslie and Laura Mathewson took home the Volunteer of the Year prize for their efforts to fundraise and organise the Shetland learning disability team’s trip to compete in Stirling this July.

Shetland’s most decorated Island Games athlete, Ian Williamson, was the deserved winner of the Lifetime Endeavour award.

Williamson won nine medals at the games between 1991 and 2003, including gold in the men’s half marathon in both 1997 and 1999.

Shetland Amateur Athletics Club paid tribute to Williamson, who is a founding member of the club.

It said there was a “brilliant and very well deserved standing ovation from everyone in the hall”, which “expressed the high regard and admiration Ian is held in”.