Finalists for 2021 US Honors

Bristol, RI (March 3, 2022) – From a shortlist of nine nominees, three women and three men have been voted as finalists for US Sailing’s 2021 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards.

The annual rundown of the year’s “best in the U.S.” represents a wide range of accomplished sailors from various disciplines and at different stages of their respective careers, voted on by panels of sailing journalists and past winners.

Finalists for US Sailing’s 2021 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year award (in alphabetical order by first name):

• Anna Weis – Weis was the Tokyo Olympic Games representative in the Nacra 17, finishing 9th overall. After the Games, Anna took on the F50 as part of the U.S. SailGP Team at which finished 2nd Australian Grand Prix.
• Daniela Moroz – Back on the shortlist again, Daniela Moroz won the Women’s Formula Kit European Championship and her 5th Kite Foil World Championship. Moroz is currently ranked 6th in the Formula Kite World Sailing Rankings.
• Nicole Breault – This successful match racer is the 2021 U.S. Sailing Women’s Match Racing Champion and is ranked as the top female match racer in the US and 3rd in the world. Additionally, Breault had success as tactician and main trimmer for her J/105.

Finalists for US Sailing’s 2021 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award (in alphabetical order by first name):

• Conner Blouin – The 2021 Sunfish North American Champion, Blouin also finished 3rd at the 100 boat Sunfish World Championships. Additionally, he won the US Sailing Championship of Champions, as well as the WASZP North American Championship.
• Dave Hughes – In 2021, Hughes was a member of the winning teams at three Class National Championships: Etchells, J/24s, and the Atlantic Class. Hughes and his teammate, Stu McNay, won the 470 North American Champs and finished 9th at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (sailed in 2021).
• Harry Melges IV – In 2021, Melges won two E Scow National Championships (the 2021 as well as the rescheduled 2020 Champs), E Scow Inland Champs, and E Scow Spring Champs. Furthermore, he won the Melges 24 Gold Cup, and was part of the 2nd place team atIC37 North Americans.

The 2021 US Sailing Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Award winners will be announced and presented with specially engraved Rolex timepieces live at St. Francis Yacht Club on March 24 in San Francisco, CA. The event, held in conjunction with the US Sailing Association Awards, will be livestreamed.

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 awards have been presented to 44 men and 35 women:

2020 – No awards due to pandemic
2019 – Mike Martin and Adam Lowry/Daniela Moroz
2018 – Jud Smith/Carmen and Emma Cowles
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

Source: US Sailing