Who is the best Man and Woman in 2018?

To be the recipient of US Sailing’s Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Award, winning matters and winning major championships matters most. Quality of competition is a factor as is depth of resume, and while not every candidate must have won, winning helps.

We did some brainstorming on who topped the podium in 2018, but there’s no way we remembered every accomplishment that should be considered. Here’s our preliminary list:

MALE
• Mike Buckley – Congressional Cup (tactician), 1st; Argo Group Gold Cup (tactician), 1st; Melges 24 Canadian Nationals (tactician), 1st; J/70 North Americans (tactician), 2nd
• Taylor Canfield – 2018 Congressional Cup, 1st; Argo Group Gold Cup, 1st; Annapolis NOOD (J/70 tactician), 1st; Charleston Race Week (J/70 tactician), 2nd; Bayview One Design Regatta (Tartan 10 tactician), 1st
• Bill Draheim – MC Midwinters, 1st; MC Nationals, 1st; US Sailing Championship of Champions, 1st
• Jonathan Farrar – IOD Worlds, 1st
• Drew Freides – Melges 20 Worlds, 1st
• Jeff Hayden – Lightning Youth Worlds, 1st
• JC Hermes – Youth Sailing Worlds (420), 1st; Kiel Week (420), 2nd
• Zeke Horowitz – J/22 Worlds, 1st; Viper 640 North Americans, 1st
• Terry Hutchinson – TP52 Worlds (tactician), 1st
• Marc Jacobi – RS Aero Worlds, 1st
• Eric Oetgen – Sunfish Master Worlds, 1st
• Pearson Potts, Jr. – U.S. Match Racing Championship, 1st; Chicago Grand Slam, 1st; Global Team Race, 2nd
• Ernesto Rodriguez – Laser US Masters, 1st; Laser Canadian Masters, 1st; Snipe North Americans, 1st; Snipe Western Hemispheres, 1st
• Geronimo Nores – Youth Sailing Worlds (RS:X), 1st
• Tyler Sinks – NYYC Resolute Cup, 1st; SDYC Lipton Cup, 1st, Jean Schenck Team Race, 1st
• Jud Smith – J/70 Worlds, 1st
• Alex Temko – Kona Worlds, 1st; Kona North Americans, 1st
• Will Welles – J/24 Worlds, 1st

FEMALE
• Carmen Cowles – Youth Sailing Worlds (420), 1st
• Carol Cronin – Snipe Women’s Worlds, 1st
• Daniela Moroz – Formula Kite Worlds, 1st; Formula Kite Europeans, 1st
• Paige Railey – Laser Radial Worlds, 5th
• Charlotte Rose – Youth Sailing Worlds (Laser Radial), 1st

And before you beat us up, yes, this is a list of skippers (unless noted) as the crew is typically not included in the award. Let’s move past that as now we need your help… who did we forget? Who measures up to the candidates above? Feel free to suggest yourself and please help us bolster the resume for the above names. Send all accomplishments to info@sailingscuttlebutt.com

US Sailing will begin accepting online nominations for these awards later this month. When the nomination period opens, we will share the news with you.

Previous Award Recipients:
2017 – Peter Duncan/Erika Reineke
2016 – Caleb Paine/Daniela Moroz
2015 – Steve Benjamin/Annie Haeger
2014 – Terry Hutchinson/Stephanie Roble
2013 – Brian Porter/Jody Starck
2012 – Johnny Heineken/Jen French
2011 – Bill Hardesty/Anna Tunnicliffe
2010 – Stan Honey/Anna Tunnicliffe
2009 – Bora Gulari/Anna Tunnicliffe
2008 – Terry Hutchinson/Anna Tunnicliffe
2007 – Jeff Linton/Sally Barkow
2006 – Jud Smith/Paige Railey
2005 – Nick Scandone/Sally Barkow
2004 – Paul Foerster & Kevin Burnham/Jody Swanson
2003 – Augie Diaz/Hannah Swett
2002 – John Kostecki/Liz Baylis
2001 – Steve Fossett/Cory Sertl
2000 – Mark Reynolds & Magnus Liljedahl/JJ Isler & Pease Glaser
1999 – Eric Doyle/Dawn Riley
1998 – Paul Cayard /Betsy (Gelenitis) Alison
1997 – Chris Larson/JJ Isler
1996 – Dave Ullman/Courtenay (Becker) Dey
1995 – Ed Baird/Cory Sertl
1994 – Ken Read/Danielle Brennan
1993 – Cam Lewis/Betsy (Gelenitis) Alison
1992 – Kevin Mahaney/Julia Trotman
1991 – Ed Adams/JJ Isler
1990 – Jim Brady/Courtenay Becker
1989 – Larry Klein/Jody Swanson
1988 – John Kostecki/Allison Jolly & Lynne Jewell
1987 – Ed Adams/Susan Dierdorff Taylor
1986 – Dennis Conner/JJ Isler
1985 – Ken Read/Kathy Steele & Heidi Backus
1984 – Bill Buchan/Betsy Gelenitis
1983 – Dave Curtis/Wendy Thomson
1982 – Randy Smyth/Betsy Gelenitis
1981 – Dave Curtis/Betsy Gelenitis
1980 – Dennis Conner/Lynne Jewell
1979 – Ted Turner/Nell Taylor
1978 – Buddy Melges/Bonnie Shore
1977 – Ted Turner/Jan O’Malley
1976 – Lowell North/Allison Jolly
1975 – Dennis Conner/Joan Ellis
1974 – Ted Hood/Sally Lindsay
1973 – Ted Turner/Sally Lindsay
1972 – Buddy Melges/Jane Pegel
1971 – Ding Schoonmaker/Jane Pegel
1970 – Ted Turner/Jan O’Malley
1969 – Robert F. Johnson/Jan O’Malley
1968 – Lowell North/June Methot
1967 – Bus Mosbacher/Betty Foulk
1966 – Bill Cox/Jerie Clark
1965 – Dick Tillman/Timothea (Schneider) Larr
1964 – Bob Bavier/Jane Pegel
1963 – Joe Duplin/Leggie Mertz
1962 – Bus Mosbacher/Sue Sinclair
1961 – Buddy Melges/Timothea Schneider