Finalists for 2022 Honors

Three men and three women have been chosen as finalists for US Sailing’s 2022 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.

Yachtsman and Yachtswoman finalists earned their spot on this exclusive list by dominating their respective classes and showing true variety in their sailing accomplishments.

All six of these sailors represent their own unique pathway to the sport, having demonstrated on-the-water excellence at international and national events bringing global recognition to sailing in while representing the United States.

Some of these sailors were selected based on their consistent exceptional performances throughout the 2022 season and some were chosen for their signature win(s) at major international or national events.

Finalists in alphabetical order by first name:

US Sailing’s 2022 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year award
• Daniela Moroz – A three-time winner of the Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year award, Moroz is back on the shortlist again and looking for her 4th Rolex. In 2022, Moroz won gold at the Princesa Sofia Olympic regatta and captured her 6th Kite Foil World Championship title. Moroz also placed first at the French Olympic Week Regatta, held at the 2024 Olympic venue.
• Laura Grondin – Grondin’s success as a skipper in the J/70 class earned her a spot as one of this year’s finalists. Grondin helmed her way to first place at the J/70 East Coast Championships and Davis Island J/70 Regatta, as well as the top female helm at the J/70 European Championship. Grondin also had success in the Melges 24 class, placing fourth at the Melges 24 World Championship.
• Sara Stone – Breaking into the predominantly male world of offshore sailing, Sara Stone is in the running for her first Rolex. Stone took first place in the inaugural Bermuda to Newport Doublehanded event as the only all-female entry and won the Ida Lewis Distance Race with co-skipper with Ken Read. Stone also took line honors in the youth division of the Newport to Bermuda Race, breaking the youth race record as a coach with the MudRatz youth team on board ‘Spitfire.’

US Sailing’s 2022 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award
• David Starck – In 2022, David Starck brought years of Lightning and One Design experience to the table winning several important Lightning Class regattas, nationally and internationally. Starck was the 2022 Lightning World Champion, Lighting North American Champion and Lightning Helly Hanson Sailing World Series Champion. He was also winner of the Overall Lightning Southern Circuit and Lightning Winter Championship. This would be Starck’s first Rolex.
• Doug DeVos – A well-known name in the TP52 class and sailing community at large, Doug DeVos was the overall winner of the 2022 TP52 Superseries as the skipper of Quantum Racing. DeVos and team took first place in all four of the series events, including the World Championship, Baiona Sailing Week, Royal Cup Scarlino, and Barcelona Sailing Week.
• Ravi Parent – The youngest man on the list of finalists, Ravi Parent has wasted no time setting records and winning titles across classes. In 2022, Parent became the first sailor to win the A Class Worlds, F18 European Championships, and F18 World Championship in the same year. Adding to that success, Parent won the A Cat Midwinters Championship and the A Class division at the Helly Hansen Sailing World Series. This would be Parent’s first Rolex.

The 2022 US Sailing Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Award winners will be announced and presented with specially engraved Rolex timepieces at a special presentation at the 2023 Sailing Leadership Forum on February 2 in St. Pete Beach, FL. The event will be held in conjunction with the US Sailing Association Awards at the TradeWinds Grand Resort.

Past Winners:
2021 – Harry Melges IV/Daniela Moroz
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