CONTACT:
Marlieke Eaton, US SAILING, 401-683-0800 or
Jan Harley, Media Pro Int’l for Rolex Watch U.S.A., 401-849-0220
NOMINEES ANNOUNCED FOR US SAILING’s
ROLEX YACHTSMAN & YACHTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS
PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (December 27, 2007) – Joining the year-end “best of”
lists is US SAILING’s short list of nominees for the 2007 Rolex Yachtsman
and Yachtswoman of the Year awards. 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 widely
regarded as the sport's ultimate recognition of an individual's outstanding
on-the-water achievements for the calendar year. Over its history, the
coveted award has been presented to 34 men and 31 women, including these
notable sailors who have claimed the honor multiple times: Ed Adams, Betsy
Alison, Dennis Conner, Courtenay Dey, JJ Isler, Allison Jolly, John Kostecki,
Buddy Melges, Ken Read, Lynne Shore, Jody Swanson and Ted Turner.
Nominees for US SAILING's 2007 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award: America's
Cup Champion Ed Baird (St. Petersburg, Fla.); ISAF Team Race World Champion
Clay Bischoff (Coral Gables, Fla./New York, N.Y.); Pan Am Games Laser Gold
Medalist Andrew Campbell (San Diego, Calif.); IFDS Sonar Disabled Sailing
World Champion Rick Doerr (Clifton, N.J.); J/22 North American Champion Greg
Fisher (Annapolis, Md./Columbus, Ohio); Snipe World Champion Tomas Hornos
(Swampscott, Mass.); ISAF Team Race World Champion Pete Levesque (Portland,
Maine/Annapolis, Md.); Lightning World Champion Jeff Linton (Tampa, Fla.);
ISAF Team Race World Champion Colin Merrick (Portsmouth, R.I.); Fullpower
Melges 24 World Champion Dave Ullman (Santa Ana, Calif.).
Nominees for US SAILING’s 2007 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year award: Princess
Sofia Yngling Champion Sally Barkow (Nashotah, Wis.); ISAF Team Race World
Champion Amanda Callahan (Canton, Mass.); Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World
Champion Emily Dellenbaugh (Easton, Conn.); ISAF Team Race World Champion
Liz Hall (Tiverton, R.I./Washington, D.C.); ISAF Team Race World Champion
Lisa Keith (Marblehead, Mass.); Lightning World Champion Amy Linton (Tampa,
Fla.); IFDS Skud-18 Disabled Sailing World Champion Karen Mitchell
(Deerfield Beach, Fla.); Pan Am Games Laser Radial Gold Medalist Paige
Railey (Clearwater, Fla.); and Good Luck Beijing Laser Radial Champion Anna
Tunnicliffe (Plantation, Fla.).
For additional information on the accomplishments of each nominee this year,
please visit
www.ussailing.org/awards/rolex.
The nominees will be reviewed by a panel of noted sailing journalists who
discuss the merits of each nominee and vote to determine US SAILING's 2007
Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year. The winners will be announced
in January and honored on February 29, 2008, during a luncheon at the New
York Yacht Club in New York City, where they will be presented with Rolex
timepieces.
About Rolex Watch U.S.A.
Since Rolex Watch U.S.A. first presented timepieces to America's Cup
defenders in 1958, the company has consistently recognized and encouraged
excellence in every important arena of competitive sailing, including US
Sailing Team preparation, US SAILING championships, disabled sailing,
offshore, one-design and women's events.
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
United States. 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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