US Yachtsman of the Year nominees

US Sailing publishes list of worthy candidates

US SAILING, the United States' national governing body for the sport, has announced the final list of nominees who will be considered for the 2001 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 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards recognize outstanding on-the-water achievement in the calendar year just concluded. They are widely perceived as the highest individual honors in sailing in the United States.

The award winners for 2000 were the skipper/crew combinations of Mark Reynolds/Magnus Liljedahl and JJ Isler/Pease Glaser. Other sailing luminaries who have won the award include Betsy Alison, Ed Baird, Paul Cayard, Dennis Conner, Ken Read, Dawn Riley, Randy Smyth and Ted Turner.

The nominees, determined by the membership of US SAILING, will be presented to a panel of noted sailing journalists, who together will discuss the merits of each nominee and vote by secret ballot to determine the Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year. The winners will be honored at a luncheon at the New York Yacht Club in New York City, on February 15, 2002, where they will be presented with Rolex timepieces.

The Rolex Yachtsman will receive a steel and gold Rolex Submariner, and the Rolex Yachtswoman will receive a Rolex Oyster Lady Datejust, also in steel and gold.

Nominees for the 2001 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year are:
International 14 World Champion Zach Berkowitz (San Francisco, Calif.)
Laser Master World Champion Henry De Wolf (Palm City, Fla.)
J/22 and Flying Scot North American Champion Greg Fisher (Columbus, Ohio)
world speed sailing record holder Steve Fossett (Chicago, Ill.)
49er World Champions Jonathan McKee and Charlie McKee (both Seattle, Wash.)
Star North American Champion George Szabo (San Diego, Calif.).

Nominees for the 2001 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year are:
Tasar International and U.S. National Champion Carol Buchan (Medina, Wash.)
Yngling CORK Champion Carol Cronin (Jamestown, R.I.)
Yngling North American Champion Courtenay Dey (Westerly, R.I./Rye, N.Y.)
J/22 East Coast Champion Nancy Haberland (Annapolis, Md.)
Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Champion Cory Sertl (Rochester, N.Y.).