Nominations open for US Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year

To properly recognize excellence, US Sailing has their annual Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year, widely acknowledged as the foremost individual sailing honors in the nation. US Sailing is now accepting nominations for these prestigious awards through December 2018.

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 recognize the individual male and female U.S. sailors who have demonstrated on-the-water excellence at international and/or national events to earn their place in the history of the sport.

The nomination period is open to the public. Fans can nominate male and female sailors who they believe turned in the most outstanding on-the-water performances during the 2018 calendar year.

In January, a shortlist of nominees for each award will be presented to a panel of sailing media journalists who will discuss the merits of each finalist and vote by secret ballot to determine the winners.

To further engage with sailing communities around the country and to leverage the expertise of previous award recipients, past Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year award winners will also be given an opportunity to vote and rank their top selections.

The winners will be announced in February prior to the luncheon at the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco (date to be determined), where the award finalists will be honored and the winners will be presented with US Sailing’s Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year award and specially engraved Rolex timepieces.

In 2017, J/70 World Champion Peter Duncan (Rye, N.Y.) and Enoshima Olympic Week Laser Radial Gold Medalist Erika Reineke (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) were selected as Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year for their remarkable sailing performances. Reineke and Duncan were first time winners of the awards.

Scuttlebutt Sailing News developed a list of suggestions for the 2018 awards. To submit your nomination(s)… click here.

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