US SAILING’s Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards: Nominations Now Accepted
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Jake Fish, US SAILING Communications Manager
jakefish@ussailing.org
(401) 683-0800
PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (October 2, 2009) – The end of the 2009 sailing season is approaching, and the time has come to recognize those U.S. sailors who have collected impressive regatta results at home and abroad in 2009. US SAILING is now accepting nominations for its Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards, widely acknowledged as the foremost individual sailing honors in the nation. Now through November 30, 2009, every member of US SAILING may nominate the one male and one female sailor they think has had the most outstanding on-the-water sailing performance during the 2008 calendar year. Nominations can be made online through the US SAILING website at http://about.ussailing.org/Awards.htm.
US SAILING's Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards are presented annually to the individual male and female U.S. sailor who has demonstrated on-the-water excellence at national and/or international events to earn their place in the history books. Anna Tunnicliffe and Terry Hutchinson were winners of the prestigious distinction for 2008, and were the most recent additions to the list of legendary winners that includes Betsy Alison, Paul Cayard, Dennis Conner, Courtenay Dey, JJ Isler, Allison Jolly, John Kostecki, Buddy Melges, Ken Read, Cory Sertl, Jody Swanson and Ted Turner. Many of these winners won a world championship, Olympic medal, national championship, US SAILING championship, or other major sailing event.
At the conclusion of the nomination period, a shortlist of nominees is presented to a panel of accomplished sailing journalists who discuss the merits of each and vote by secret ballot to determine the individual award winners. In February 2010, each winner will be presented with a specially-engraved Rolex timepiece. Originally created in 1961, US SAILING’s Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards have been sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A. since 1980.
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.
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.