Hugh Elliot receives Gay S. Lynn Memorial Trophy

by Marlieke de Lange Eaton on 19 Oct 2008 US SAILING, national governing body for the sport of sailing, has presented Hugh Elliot of Alexandria, Va., with the Gay S. Lynn Memorial Trophy for his outstanding contribution to sailors with disabilities and the sport of disabled sailing over a sustained period of time.

The award presentation was a surprise for Elliot, who had not been told he had been selected to receive the award, the country's only award of its kind for disabled sailing.

A lifelong sailor, Hugh Elliot became involved in disabled sailing following a car accident in the spring of 1993. It was Gay Lynn, after whom the trophy is named, who encouraged Elliot to try disabled sailing. He went on to compete in the 2000 U.S. Paralympic Team Trials and emerged as runner-up of that event. Since that time, Elliot has made it his personal mission to mentor sailors with disabilities, promote disabled sailing and encourage others to do the same. Peter Goldman, chair of the trophy selection committee and past recipient of the award, presented Elliot with the trophy at US SAILING's Annual Meeting in St. Petersburg, Florida, during an awards banquet earlier this evening.

Elliot has been instrumental in elevating the status of disabled sailing through his ongoing commitment to serve the sport in many capacities. During his involvement in the sport, Elliot has played many roles. For example, he is currently a member of the Technical Committee of the International Association for Disabled Sailing (IFDS), a US SAILING Senior Race Officer, a US SAILING Senior Judge, an ISAF International Judge, and a member of the Severn Sailing Association standing race committee. Past positions he has held include Chairman of the Sailors with Special Needs Committee and of the Marketing Communications Committee. Additionally, he was the driving force in raising funds for and in writing the deed of gift of the Gay S. Lynn Memorial Trophy.

About the Gay S. Lynn Memorial Trophy
First presented in 2003, the Gay S. Lynn Trophy annually recognizes outstanding service, over a significant period of time, to disabled sailing and disabled sailors in the United States. The trophy may be awarded to a volunteer, a professional, or an organization. Past recipients of the award include Peter Goldman and the Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing Foundation, Robie Pierce, Gene Hinkel, Urban Miyares and Keith Burhans.

The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) is the national governing body for sailing. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the organization provides leadership for the sport of sailing in the United States. US SAILING offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.