Best U.S. Sailors of 2016 Announced

Portsmouth, RI (December 16, 2016) – Sailing’s top performers of the year are being heralded by US Sailing with the announcement of the eight men and six women entries who have been shortlisted for the 2016 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards.

Nominees shortlisted for US Sailing’s 2016 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award:
• Star World Champion Augie Diaz (Miami, Fla.)
• Paralympic Silver Medalists Rick Doerr (Clifton, N.J.), Brad Kendall (Tampa, Fla.) and Hugh Freund (South Freeport, Maine);
• Rolex Farr 40, Maxi 72 and TP52 World Champion Terry Hutchinson (Annapolis, Md.);
• Melges 20 and J/70 World Champion John Kostecki (Fairfax, Calif.)
• Melges 24 World Champions and 470 North American Champions Stu McNay (Providence, R.I.) and Dave Hughes (Miami, Fla.)
• J/22 World Champion Mike Marshall (Jamestown, R.I.)
• 505 World Champion Mike Martin (Mill Valley, Calif.)
• Olympic Bronze Medalist Caleb Paine (San Diego, Calif.)

Nominees shortlisted for US Sailing’s 2016 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year award:
• Etchells Biscayne Bay Series – Sidney Doren Memorial Regatta Champion Shannon Bush (Refugio, Texas)
• 470 South American Championship Silver Medalists Annie Haeger (East Troy, Wisc.) and Briana Provancha (San Diego, Calif.)
• IKA Formula Kite World Champion Daniella Moroz (Lafayette, Calif.)
• Laser Radial World Championship Silver Medalist Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.)
• Melges 32 World Champion and College Sailing’s Women’s Singlehanded National Champion Erika Reineke (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
• Melges 20 Winter Series Champion and Women’s International Match Racing Series Finals runner-up Stephanie Roble (East Troy, Wisc.)

The nominees will be reviewed by a panel of noted sailing journalists who discuss the merits of each sailor’s racing results before voting to determine US Sailing’s 2016 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year. The winners will be announced in January and honored on Thursday, March 2, 2016, during a luncheon at the New York Yacht Club in Manhattan, when they will be presented with specially-engraved 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 43 men and 34 women, including these distinguished sailors who have claimed the honor multiple times: Ed Adams, Betsy Alison, Sally Barkow, Dave Curtis, Dennis Conner, JJ Fetter, Allison Jolly, John Kostecki, Buddy Melges, Lowell North, Jan O’Malley, Jane Pegel, Ken Read, Cory Sertl, Lynne Shore, Jody Starck, Anna Tunnicliffe and Ted Turner.

For more information about these awards: rolex.ussailing.org

*Sailor 2016 resumes to be listed next week.

NOTE: This report has been revised after Stephanie Roble was incorrectly listed as winning the Melges 20 World Championship. Her team finished fourth.

Source: US Sailing