US SAILING’S ROLEX YACHTSMAN OF THE YEAR
TO APPEAR ON NBC NIGHTLY NEWS

Portsmouth, R.I. (February 2, 2006) – Nick Scandone, reigning 2.4mR World Champion and recently named US SAILING Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, is tentatively scheduled to appear on NBC’s Nightly News this Friday, February 3. The interview, which was taped partially at Scandone’s home in Fountain Valley, Calif., and at Balboa Yacht Club (Corona del Mar, Calif.), is set to air during NBC’s Nightly News which broadcasts between 6:30 and 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Since Nightly News is a live news broadcast, stories could get bumped to a later date if there is breaking news.

Scandone, a member of the current US Disabled Sailing Team, garnered international attention after his remarkable performance at last fall’s 2.4mR Open World Championship in Italy. He won the 88-boat fleet which included seven previous world champions as well as three Paralympic medalists who were among the 34 disabled competitors going head-to-head with the class's best able-bodied sailors from around the world.

For his outstanding on-the-water performance, Scandone was recently named US SAILING’s 2005 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, the most prestigious award for sailing in the U.S. In January, US SAILING nominated Scandone to the U.S. Olympic Committee as Paralympic Sailor of the Year. Meanwhile, Scandone continues his impressive performance on the water. Last week, he qualified the USA for the 2008 Paralympic Games in the 2.4mR by finishing in fifth place at the Alcoa IFDS World Disabled Sailing Championships 2006.

The US Disabled Sailing Team is managed by US SAILING, national governing body of the sport. Headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US SAILING’s mission is to encourage participation and promote excellence in sailing in the U.S. US SAILING offers training and education programs, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including the US Sailing Teams and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.  

(End)