US Sailing is proud to announce the distinguished panel of voters who determined the winners of the 2024 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards. Widely regarded as the most prestigious honors in American sailing, these awards celebrate the pinnacle of achievement in the sport. The winners of the 2024 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards were revealed at a special ceremony held during US Sailing’s Sailing Leadership Forum on February 6 in Coronado, California.
The selection process involved a vote by past Rolex Award winners and prominent members of the sailing media. For more information about the selection process, please visit US Sailing’s website.
The media member voting panel is:
Gary Jobson
Gary Jobson is a past president of US Sailing (2009-2012) and Past Vice President of World Sailing (2012-2020). He was twice named Intercollegiate Sailor of the Year (1972,1973) and was the winning tactician for Ted Turner aboard Courageous in the 1977 America’s Cup. Jobson has written 23 books on the sport of sailing, produced 1200 television programs for ESPN and most recently covered the Paris Olympic Games for NBC. He is a recipient of the Nathanael G. Herreshoff Award, has been inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame, the National Sailing Hall of Fame. He and his wife Janice, live in Annapolis, Maryland.
Molly Wimans
Molly Winans, Managing Editor of SpinSheet Magazine, discovered sailing on a Catalina 27 on Lake Erie before falling in love with the sport on an E-Scow at summer camp in Michigan. After college, she moved to Annapolis, where she’s made her home ever since, drawn to both the sailing scene and her passion for writing. In 2008, Molly became the top editor and racing editor at SpinSheet, combining her expertise in racing with her love for storytelling. While she’s an experienced racer, Molly identifies as a cruising sailor, dedicated to writing about fellow sailors, their achievements, and the stories that inspire them.
Craig Leweck
Craig Leweck publishes Scuttlebutt Sailing News, the leading source for sailing news in North America. As a longtime member of the selection committee, his daily job ideally provides the context to evaluate the nominees for the Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards. Craig also knows what it takes to win, holding 16 national and world titles in dinghies and keelboats, plus a victory at the US SAILING Championship of Champions (Hobie 21) and an Olympic Tornado campaign for the 1992 Games. His offshore sailing experience excludes only an ocean crossing – a mark of either ignorance or intelligence.
Dave Reed
Dave Reed is Editor in Chief at Sailing World Magazine, responsible for all content and multimedia across its print and digital outlets, as well as the magazine’s national regatta series. His journalism career spans more than three decades, covering the breadth of the sport from his hometown of Newport, Rhode Island, where he races year-round with local one-design fleets. He has served as a Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year media selection panel member for the past 20 years.
Amy Baxter
Amy Baxter is an American journalist and sailor originating from the north shore of Chicago. Now based in Massachusetts, she is a full-time health policy reporter focused on the pharmaceutical industry and covers national sailing events as a freelance writer. Her work has been featured in Forbes.
Tom Ehman
Tom Ehman, born in 1953 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is the Executive Producer and Host of Sailing Illustrated. A veteran of international yachting, Tom has been instrumental in modernizing the sport, notably introducing on-the-water umpiring for the 1988 Congressional Cup and the 1992 America’s Cup. This innovation is now widely used in Match Racing, the Olympics, and professional sailing events like SailGP. A former collegiate champion (University of Michigan ’75) and winner of the USYRU Championship of Champions (1976), Tom became the youngest-ever Executive Director of the United States Yacht Racing Union at age 25. His long career includes roles as an International Judge, Olympic Sailing Jury member, and key figure in America’s Cup campaigns. Since 2017, he has hosted over 700 episodes of Sailing Illustrated, a popular live podcast with a global following.
David Schmidt
David Schmidt has been writing about sailing for over 20 years. He is the North American editor of Sail-World.com, a contributing editor at Sailing World magazine, and a sailing correspondent for The New York Times. Additionally, his work has appeared in Cruising World, SAIL, Soundings (amongst other publications). He has served as a judge for the annual Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards for well over a decade. In his free time, he is an active (and lifelong) racing and cruising sailor.
Gloria Kevliciute
Gloria Kevliciute has had the privilege of hosting the College Sailing Nationals three times, a demanding 14-day championship that brings together the nation’s top collegiate sailors to compete at the highest level. Covering this event requires a deep understanding of the sport, along with the ability to capture the excitement, strategy, and challenges that unfold on the water each day. In addition to Nationals, Gloria has provided commentary for the Youth Sailing Championships, offering insight from personal experience as a former collegiate sailor at St. Mary’s College of Maryland and a current collegiate coach. With a strong connection to the college sailing community, she is passionate about showcasing the talent, tactics, and competition that define the sport at all levels.
John Arndt
John Arndt, owner and publisher of Latitude 38 and founder of Summer Sailstice has worked in the sailing industry for 40 years. Arndt grew up sailing in Maine and, since then, has taught sailing, raced and cruised oceans, enjoyed numerous roles within the sailing industry working with Latitude 38, the Baja Ha-Ha, NCMA, Sail America, SailSFBay and founding Summer Sailstice in 2001. Member of Corinthian Yacht Club.
Dobbs Davis
For 30 years Dobbs Davis has been deeply involved in all aspects of competitive sailing as a pro sailor, boat builder, teacher and coach, race official, certified measurer and technologist, and journalist as the USA Technical Editor for Seahorse Magazine among other publications. As the US Communications Director for the Offshore Racing Congress his experience and insights have helped make the sport more enjoyable and competitive for many 1000’s of sailors in both the US and overseas.
Hannah Lee Noll
Hannah Lee Noll is a prolific sailing media professional and the founder of WindDance Creative, a creative agency specializing in storytelling, social media, and photography for global sailing brands. With nearly a decade of experience dedicated exclusively to the sport, Hannah has collaborated with top-tier regattas, world-class athletes, and premier yacht clubs worldwide, including the Bacardi Cup, International J/70 Class Association, the Bacardi Cup, and the US Sailing Team. Leveraging her background in advertising agencies and grassroots nonprofits, her creative work strengthens sailing communities and elevates the sport’s visibility.
Bill Wagner
Bill Wagner, a lifelong resident of Annapolis, has dedicated his career to covering the sailing community as a longtime sportswriter for The Capital, where he has served as sailing editor for over 30 years. Growing up on Chesapeake Bay, Bill discovered his passion for sailing aboard his parents’ cruising boats and began racing as a teenager. In addition to his work with The Capital and The Baltimore Sun, he has extensive experience in sailing publicity, including nearly 20 years as media director for Key West Race Week and over a decade as publicist for the Annapolis Yacht Club. Bill has also served as media director for major international events, such as the 2017 505 World Championships and the 2023 Etchells World Championships. His work has made him a respected authority in the world of sailing journalism and event promotion.
Mark Reid
Mark Reid is a Content and Contributing Editor at Latitude 38 Magazine in San Francisco, California. He serves as a Historian and Researcher for the Chicago Yacht Club, leading media efforts for the Race to Mackinac History Project and contributing to the club’s 150th Anniversary Committee. His work extends to the National Sailing Hall of Fame, where he helped develop digital records of America’s Cup inductees and provided video content for exhibits at The Sailing Museum in Newport, RI. With over 30 years as accredited media for the America’s Cup, he has also covered SailGP, the Rolex Big Boat Series, and both Mackinac Races.
Kimball Livingston
Kimball Livingston is an author, journalist and veteran of sailing boats large and small. He serves on the board of Transpac and on the selection panel for the National Sailing Hall of Fame. As a past commodore of St. Francis Yacht Club, San Francisco, he is now StFYC’s historian, curator and dedicated senior ambassador to youth sailing.