> US SAILING Media > Latest News > 2009 > US SAILING’s Rolex Yachtsman & Yachtswoman of the Year Awards: Sailing’s Best of 2009 Are Shortlisted
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS:
Jan Harley, Media Pro Int’l for Rolex Watch U.S.A.
(401) 849-0220
Jake Fish, US SAILING Communications Manager
401.683-0800
jakefish@ussailing.org
PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (December 16, 2009) – It wouldn’t be December without the annual “year in review” and “best of” lists, and the release of US SAILING’s shortlist of nominees for the 2009 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards marks that traditional milestone for the sport of sailing in the United States. It was an outstanding year of achievement on-the-water during the 2009 calendar year: American men won nine world championships, while competitive excellence was achieved by American women in both fleet and match racing events.
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 2009 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year. The ultimate winners will be announced in mid-January and honored on February 26, 2010, during a luncheon at the New York Yacht Club in Manhattan, when they will be presented with Rolex timepieces.
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 considered 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 37 men and 33 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. The 2008 winners were Terry Hutchinson and Anna Tunnicliffe.
Nominees shortlisted for US SAILING's 2009 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award: Lightning World Champion Matt Fisher (Columbus, Ohio); CST Composites International Moth World Champion Bora Gulari (Detroit, Mich.); Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis Melges 24 World Champion Chris Larson (Annapolis, Md.); Sunfish World Champion David Loring (Charleston, S.C.); SAP 505 World Champion Mike Martin (Newport Beach, Calif.); Finn Gold Cup Silver Medalist Zach Railey (Clearwater, Fla.); Rolex Farr 40 World Champion Jim Richardson (Boston, Mass./Newport, R.I.); 2.4 mR World Champion John Ruf (Pewaukee, Wisc.); DN Iceboat World Champion Matt Struble (San Diego, Calif./Bay City, Mich.); and Star World Champion George Szabo (San Diego, Calif.).
***
Nominees shortlisted for US SAILING’s 2009 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year award: ICSA/Laser Performance Women’s Singlehanded National Champion Anne Haeger (Lake Forest, Ill.); Kieler Woche Laser Radial Champion Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.); U.S. Women's Match Racing Champion Genny Tulloch (San Francisco, Calif.); Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Champion Molly O’Bryan Vandemoer (San Diego, Calif.); and Semaine Olympique Française Laser Radial Champion Anna Tunnicliffe (Plantation, Fla.).
US SAILING's 2009 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Finalists and Their Top Performances:
| Matt Fisher |
Lightning World Championship (1st/60 boats) Lightning North American Championship (5th/65 boats) Lightning Ohio District Championship (1st/18 boats) |
Zach Railey |
Finn Gold Cup (2nd/87 boats) Skandia Sail For Gold (3rd/37 Finns) US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR (3rd/30 Finns) Delta Lloyd Regatta (5th/63 Finns) |
| Bora Gulari |
International Moth World Championship (1st/46 boats) International Moth US National Championship (2nd/34 boats) |
Jim Richardson | Rolex Farr 40 World Championship (1st/25 boats) Farr 40 Spring Match Race Invitational (2nd/4 boats) Acura Key West, Key West, Fla. (3rd/12 Farr 40s) Farr 40 European Championship (3rd/8 boats) Farr 40 12th Anniversary Regatta (3rd/8 boats) Acura Miami Grand Prix (4th/12 Farr 40s) Rolex Capri Sailing Week (5th/14 Farr 40s) |
| Chris Larson | Melges 24 World Championships (1st/51 boats) Melges 24 Worlds Tuning Regatta (1st/ 18 boats) Melges 24 Pre Worlds (5th/43 boats) J/24 World Championships (2nd/79 boats) Transatlantic Maxi Yacht Cup (1st/5 boats – Watch Capt.) Melges 32 East Coast Championships (1st/7 boats – crew) Irish Etchells National Championships (1st/21 boats - crew) |
John Ruf | 2.4 mR World Championship (1st/44 boats – open fleet) 2.4 mR Midwinter Regatta (2nd/ 18 boats – open fleet) 2.4 mR National Championship (7th/38 boats – open fleet) Rolex Miami OCR (5th/19 2.4mR) |
| David Loring |
Sunfish World Championship (1st/72 boats) Sunfish North American Championship (2nd/75 boats) |
Matt Struble |
Iceboat World Championship (1st/50 boats – gold fleet) |
| Mike Martin | 505 World Championship (1st/97 boats) 505 North American Championship (1st/67 boats) 505 Worlds Warm Up Regatta (1st/21 boats) King of the Bay Regatta (1st/19 505s) |
George Szabo | Star World Championship (1st/86 boats) US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR (2nd/31 Stars) Star North American Championship (3rd/47 boats) Star Eastern Hemisphere Championship (3rd/28 boats) Star Western Hemisphere Championship (3rd/18 boats) Star South American Championship (10th/63 boats) CR 914 National Championship (3rd/26 boats) Snipe National Championship (3rd/33 boats) |
US SAILING's 2009 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year Finalists and Their Top Performances:
| Anne Haeger | ICSA/LaserPerformance Women’s Singlehanded National Championship (1st/18 Laser Radials) ICSA Women’s National Championship (1st/18 FJs – B Division) U.S. Youth Sailing Championship (3rd/20 Laser Radials) |
| Paige Railey | Women’s European Laser Radial Championship, Charlottenlund, Denmark (1st/96 boats) Kieler Woche, Kiel, Germany (1st/75 Laser Radials) Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia MAPFRE, Palma de Mallorca, Spain (1st/62 Laser Radials) Laser Midwinters East, Clearwater, Fla. (1st/54 Laser Radials – Gold Fleet) US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR, Fla. (2nd/41 Laser Radials) Delta Lloyd Regatta, Medemblik, Netherlands (6th/61 Laser Radials) US Multihull Championship, Clearwater, Fla. (3rd/20 Viper F-16s – crew) |
| Genny Tulloch | U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship, St. Thomas, USVI (1st/8 IC 24s) Rolex Miami OCR, Miami, Fla.(4th/12 SB3 Lasers) BoatU.S. Santa Maria Cup, Annapolis, Md. (2nd/10 boats) Carlos Aguilar Match Race, St. Thomas, USVI (2nd/8 boats) Rolex Women's Match, St. Petersburg, Fla. (1st/10 Sonars) |
| Anna Tunnicliffe | US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR (1st/41 Laser Radials) Laser Radial Women’s North American Championship (1st/24 boats) Semaine Olympique Française (1st/54 Laser Radials) Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship (1st/35 J/22s) Rolex Osprey Cup (2nd/10 Sonars) U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship (2nd/8 IC 24s) Kieler Woche (3rd/75 Laser Radials) Laser Radial Women's World Championship (3rd/44 boats – Gold Fleet) Laser Midwinters East (2nd/54 Laser Radials – Gold Fleet) Delta Lloyd Regatta (5th/61 Laser Radials) Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia MAPFRE (6th/62 Laser Radials) Skandia Sail For Gold (3rd/24 Elliott 6 Metre) NYYC Women's Match Racing Regatta (1st/8) ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final (3rd/9 J/24s ) |
| Molly O'Bryan-Vandemoer | Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship (1st/35 J/22s - crew) NYYC Women's Match Racing Regatta (1st/8 – crew) U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship (2nd/8 IC 24s – crew) Rolex Osprey Cup (2nd/10 Sonars – crew) ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final (3rd/9 J/24s – crew ) Skandia Sail For Gold (3rd/24 Elliott 6 Metre – crew) Rolex Miami OCR (3rd/9 470 Women – crew) |
For additional information about the award, please visit http://about.ussailing.org/Awards/Rolex.htm.
About Rolex Watch U.S.A.
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.
About US SAILING
The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US SAILING is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. 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 US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.