Sailing’s best of 2014 are shortlisted

PORTSMOUTH, R.I. – The most significant sailing performances of the year are being heralded by US Sailing with the announcement of the ten men and seven women who have been shortlisted for the 2014 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards.

The nominees will be reviewed by a panel of noted sailing journalists who discuss the merits of each sailor’s racing results before voting to determine US Sailing’s 2014 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year.  The winners will be announced in mid-January and honored on Thursday, February 26, 2015, during a luncheon at the New York Yacht Club in Manhattan, when they will be presented with specially-engraved Rolex timepieces.

Nominees shortlisted for US Sailing’s 2014 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award:  Laser North American Champion Charlie Buckingham (Newport Beach, Calif.); Etchells World Champion Bill Hardesty (San Diego, Calif.); J/70 World Champion Tim Healy (Jamestown, R.I.); Rolex Farr 40 World Champion Terry Hutchinson (Annapolis, Md.); J/80 World Champion Brian Keane (Weston, Mass.); Extreme Sailing Series Champion Morgan Larson (Santa Cruz, Calif.); ISAF Sailing World Cup 470 Men’s Bronze Medalist Stu McNay (Providence, R.I.); A Scow National Champion Vincent Porter (Chicago, Ill.); Kona World Champion Rasmus Sayre (Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.); and J/24 World Champion Will Welles (Portsmouth, R.I.).

Nominees shortlisted for US Sailing’s 2014 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year award: Etchells skipper Shannon Bush (Refugio, Texas); IOD Celebrity Invitational Champion Heather Gregg-Earl (Boston, Mass.); ISAF Sailing World Cup 470 Women’s Bronze Medalist Anne Haeger (Lake Forest, Ill.); Sperry Top-Sider ICSA Women’s National Champion Deirdre Lambert (Cumberland, Maine); Laser Radial North American Champion Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.); ICSA Women’s Singlehanded National Champion Erika Reineke (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.); and US Women’s Match Racing Champion Stephanie Roble (East Troy, Wisc.).

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 considered 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 42 men and 34 women, including these distinguished sailors who have claimed the honor multiple times:  Ed Adams, Betsy Alison, Sally Barkow, Dennis Conner, JJ Isler, Allison Jolly, John Kostecki, Buddy Melges, Ken Read, Cory Sertl, Lynne Shore, Jody Starck, Anna Tunnicliffe and Ted Turner.

For highlights from the year’s racing results for each nominee, please visit:  http://bit.ly/RolexYofY_USSailing