US SAILING AWARDS NATIONAL SPORTSMANSHIP TROPHY
TO 14-YEAR-OLD SAILOR

Portsmouth, R.I. (March 19, 2007) – US SAILING, national governing body for the sport, presented its National Sportsmanship award, the W. Van Alan Clark Jr. Trophy, to J.D. Reddaway (Suwanee, Ga.) for his outstanding display of sportsmanship behavior at the Orange Bowl Junior Olympic Sailing Festival last December. Reddaway, who at the age of 14 is the youngest-ever recipient of the trophy, was presented with the trophy at Florida Yacht Club in Jacksonville last Saturday where he was competing in the Thistle Orange Peel Regatta as crew for his father.

Reddaway was selected for the National Sportsmanship award based on an incident that occurred in the final race of the Orange Bowl regatta, where he was competing in the 85-boat Optimist Red fleet. During the starting sequence, a younger sailor capsized shortly after the raising of the class flag. J.D. was aware that the sailor was not readily righting his boat and sailed over to communicate with him. Recognizing the boy was distraught and potentially injured, J.D. promptly stood up in his boat and signaled for assistance. Since the race was in a starting sequence, there was no one immediately available to assist this sailor. J.D. made a quick and unselfish decision to abandon his boat and swam to the sailor in need. The fellow competitor was tangled in his mainsheet so J.D. helped clear the entanglement and stayed with the young sailor to comfort him while waiting for assistance.

The US SAILING W. Van Alan Clark Jr. Trophy was presented to Reddaway by Skip Dieball, Chair of US SAILING’s One-Design Class Council on Saturday. Moments after the presentation, Reddaway received a surprise congratulatory telephone call from US SAILING President Jim Capron, Executive Director Charlie Leighton, Vice President Tom Hubbell, as well as past Presidents Janet Baxter, Dave Rosekrans, and Jim Muldoon who were meeting in Newport, R.I.

Reddaway now joins a long list of highly respected sailors who have received US SAILING’s W. Van Alan Clark Jr. Sportsmanship Trophy since the award was first presented 20 years ago. The list includes such well-known sailors as Olin J Stephens, Dave Perry, Harry Carpenter, and Buddy Melges.

Sportsmanship is difficult to define but easily recognizable. The high standards exemplified by the true sportsperson are vital to the health of sailing, which is why each year US SAILING presents its prestigious W. Van Alan Clark, Jr. Trophy. This award honors those people who are outstanding examples of dedication and graciousness in the sport of sailing, and for sharing these talents with others. Nominees include sailors who have performed a single exemplary act or who have consistently exemplified the finest tradition of the sport both on and off the water, through instruction and encouragement of others.

More information about the W. Van Alan Clark, Jr. National Sportsmanship Trophy can be found on US SAILING's website at www.ussailing.org/sportsmanship.  

About US SAILING
The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) is the national governing body for sailing. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the organization provides leadership for the sport of sailing in the U.S. US SAILING offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.  

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