US Yachtsman & Yachtswoman of the Year Awards

by Marlieke Eaton on 11 Dec 2008 Joining the year-end 'best of' lists is US SAILING's short list of nominees for the 2008 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards.

Established in 1961 by US SAILING and sponsored by Rolex Watch, U.S.A. since 1980, the annual presentation of US SAILING's Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards are widely regarded as the sport's ultimate recognition of an individual's outstanding on-the-water achievements for the calendar year. Over its history the coveted award has been presented to 36 men and 32 women, including these notable sailors who have claimed the honor multiple times: Ed Adams, Betsy Alison, Sally Barkow, Dennis Conner, JJ Isler, Allison Jolly, John Kostecki, Buddy Melges, Ken Read, Lynne Shore, Jody Swanson and Ted Turner.

Nominees for US SAILING's 2008 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award: 505 East Coast and Midwinter Champion Ethan Bixby (St. Petersburg, Fla.); J/22 World Champion Greg Fisher (Annapolis, Md./Columbus, Ohio); Etchells World Champion Bill Hardesty (San Diego, Calif.); Sunfish World Champion Paul Foerster (Heath, Texas); TP52 World Champion Terry Hutchinson (Annapolis, Md.); Newport Bermuda Race winner Peter Rebovich (Metuchen, New Jersey); SKUD-18 Paralympic Gold Medalist Nick Scandone (Fountain Valley, Calif.); Finn Olympic Silver Medalist Zach Railey (Clearwater, Fla.); and Lightning North American Champion Allan Terhune (Annapolis, Md.).

Nominees for US SAILING's 2008 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year award: 470 Women's World Champion Isabelle Kinsolving (New York, N.Y.); 470 Women's World Champion Erin Maxwell (Stonington/Norwalk, Conn.); SKUD-18 Paralympic Gold Medalist Maureen McKinnon-Tucker (Marblehead, Mass.); U.S. Women's Match Racing Champion Molly O'Bryan Vandemoer (San Diego, Calif.); and Laser Radial Olympic Gold Medalist Anna Tunnicliffe (Plantation, Fla.).

For additional information on the accomplishments of each nominee this year, please visit www.ussailing.org/awards/rolex.

The nominees will be reviewed by a panel of noted sailing journalists who discuss the merits of each nominee and vote to determine US SAILING's 2008 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year. The winners will be announced in January and honored on February 27, 2009, during a luncheon at the New York Yacht Club in Manhattan, when they will be presented with Rolex timepieces.

Since Rolex Watch U.S.A. first presented timepieces to America's Cup defenders in 1958, the company has consistently recognized and encouraged excellence in every important arena of competitive sailing, including US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics preparation, US SAILING championships, disabled sailing, offshore, one-design and women's events.

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.