The finalists for the 2011 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year have been published, and once again a kiteboarder has made the short list. “I am honored to have made the list,” said Johnny Henieken, who had an amazing year on his race board. “It’s an amazing feeling to be considered for the most prestigious award in American sailing, and even more incredible to see kite racing recognized at the highest possibly level by the sailing community. Thanks to all who supported me throughout the year, I couldn’t have done this alone!”
Visit Heineken’s website at https://www.heinekenracing.com
US Sailing’s Rolex Yachtsman & Yachtswoman of the Year Awards
With the record books about to close on another year of racing, US Sailing is celebrating the most outstanding performances with the release of its shortlist of nominees for the 2011 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards. Those making the 2011 shortlist represent the diversity of the sport and include round-the-world racers, kite boarders, one-design champions and Olympic hopefuls.
Nominees shortlisted for US Sailing’s 2011 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award:
Melges 32 World Champion William Douglass (Southport, Conn.); Etchells World Champion Bill Hardesty (San Diego, Calif.); IKA Kite Course Racing World Champion Johnny Heineken (Larkspur, Calif.); Laser North American Champion Clay Johnson (Toms River, N.J.); Allstate Sugar Bowl J/22 World Champion Rob Johnston (Heath, Texas); Finn U.S. National Champion Zach Railey (Clearwater, Fla.); Star North American Champion George Szabo (San Diego, Calif.); and Velux 5 Oceans Winner Brad Van Liew (Charleston, S.C.).
Nominees shortlisted for US Sailing’s 2011 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year award:
Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta (ISAF Sailing World Cup) Elliott 6m Champion Sally Barkow (Nashotah, Wisc.); Farr 30 World Champion Deneen Demourkas (Santa Barbara, Calif.); 29erXX North American Champion Kristen Lane (Tiburon, Calif.); Kieler Woche 470 Women Champion Erin Maxwell (Stonington, Conn.); Kieler Woche Laser Radial Champion Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.); Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Champion Cory Sertl (Rochester, N.Y.); and Skandia Sail for Gold Champion Anna Tunnicliffe (Plantation, Fla.).
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 2011 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year. The winners will be announced in mid-January and honored on Wednesday, February 22, 2012, during a luncheon at the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, when they will be presented with Rolex timepieces.
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 39 men and 32 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 Swanson and Ted Turner.
2011 Yachtsmen Nominee Resumes
William Douglass
Melges 32 World Championship, Mallorca, Spain (1st/29 boats)
Key West Race Week, Key West, Fla. (1st/21 Melges 32s)
Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, Sydney, Australia (6th/20 boats)
Bill Hardesty
Etchells World Championship, San Diego, Calif. (1st/81 boats)
47th Congressional Cup, Long Beach, Calif. (1st/10 Catalina 37s tactician)
Monsoon Cup, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia (1st/12 boats crew)
Portimão Portugal Match Cup, Portimão Portugal (1st/12 boats crew)
Stena Mach Cup, Marstrand, Sweden (1st/14 boats crew)
CMRC Grade 2 Invitational, Chicago, Ill. (1st/10 Tom28s)
VIII Open de España Match Race, Calpe, Spain, (1st/12 Tom28s Tactician)
SDYC Etchells One Design Weekend, San Diego, Calif. (1st/39 boats)
Etchells Midwinters West Championship, San Diego, Calif. (1st/45 boats)
Sailing Supply Etchells Orca Bowl, San Diego, Calif. (1st/46 boats)
Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, Chicago, Ill. (1st Section 2, 4th overall Tactician)
Rolex Big Boat Series, San Francisco, Calif. (2nd/9 Express 37s Tactician)
Ugotta Regatta, Harbor Springs, Mich. (2nd/3 boats Division 1 Tactician)
St. Moritz Match Race, St. Moritz, Switzerland (3rd/12 boats tactician)
Farr 40 World Championship, Sydney, Australia (4th/20 boats Tactician)
Johnny Heineken
IKA Kite Course Racing World Championships, Westerland, Germany (1st/62)
IKA North American Course Racing Championships, San Juan, Puerto Rico (1st/15)
Beetle Kitesurf World Cup (PKRA Germany), St. Peter Ording, Germany (1st/46)
Canadian Open Course Racing/Nationals, Squamish, B.C. (1st/23 open division)
Kiteboarding World Tour Mexico (PKRA Mexico), Playa del Carmen, Mexico (1st/16)
Ultranectar Challenge, San Francisco, Calif. (1st/31 combined Kites & Formula Boards upwind long distance race)
Clay Johnson
Laser North American Championship, Brant Beach, N.J. (1st/68 boats)
US Sailing’s Rolex Miami OCR, Miami, Fla. (9th/102 Lasers)
French Olympic Sailing Week, Hyères, France (11th/155 Lasers)
Princess Sofia Trophy, Palma de Mallorca, Spain (25th/127 Lasers)
Rob Johnston
Allstate Sugar Bowl J/22 World Championship, New Orleans, La. (1st/64 boats)
J22 Southwest District Regatta #5, Oklahoma City, Okla. (1st/8 boats)
HYC One Design Regatta, Houston, Texas (1st/17 J/22 s)
Brad Van Liew
VELUX 5 Oceans (1st/5 Eco 60s) Won each of the five legs of the race, as well as overall.
George Szabo
Star North American Championship, Tampa, Fla. (1st/28 boats)
French Olympic Sailing Week, Hyères, France (3rd/37 Stars)
Zach Railey
Finn U.S. National Championship, Long Beach, Calif. (1st/30 boats)
French Olympic Sailing Week, Hyères, France (2nd/80 Finns)
Kiel Week, Kiel, Germany (3rd/46 Finns)
Princess Sofia Trophy, Palma de Mallorca, Spain (5th/82 Finns)
US Sailing’s Rolex Miami OCR, Miami, Fla. (6th/37 Finns)
2011 Yachtswomen Nominee Resume Highlights
Deneen Demourkas
Farr 30 World Championship, San Francisco, Calif. (1st/12 boats)
Farr 30 North American Championship, San Francisco, Calif. (1st/5 boats)
Farr 30 Canadian National Championship, West Vancouver, Canada, (1st/7 boats)
Cal Race Week, Marina del Rey, Calif. (1st/5 Farr 30s)
Long Beach Race Week, Long Beach, Calif. (1st/7 Farr 30s)
Sperry Top-Sider Annapolis NOOD Regatta, Annapolis, Md. (3rd/12 Farr 30s)
Key West Race Week, Key West, Fla. (3rd/9 Farr 30s)
Sally Barkow
Princess Sofia Trophy, Palma de Mallorca, Spain (1st/24 Elliott 6m)
U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship, New Orleans, La. (1st/8 J/22s)
French Olympic Sailing Week, Hyères, France (2nd/24 Elliott 6m)
US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR, Fla. (3rd/24 Elliott 6m)
Skandia Sail For Gold, Weymouth, England (3rd/24 Elliott 6m)
Weymouth and Portland International Regatta, England (3rd/8 Elliott 6m)
US Sailing’s Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship, Rochester, N.Y. (3rd/36 J/22s)
Erin Maxwell
Kiel Week, Kiel, Germany (1st/19 470 Women)
Princess Sofia Trophy, Palma de Mallorca, Spain (5th/49 470 Women)
French Olympic Sailing Week, Hyères, France (7th/56 470 Women)
Kristen Lane
Melges 24 Sperry Top-Sider Charleston Race Week, Charleston, S.C (1st/45 boats)
29erXX North American Championship, Kingston, Canada (1st/10 boats)
Zhik US 29erXX National Championship, Cascade Locks, Ore. (1st/7 boats)
Melges 24 World Championship, Corpus Christi, Texas (5th/32 boats)
Melges 24 National Championship, Lake Geneva, Wisc. (5th/38 boats)
Bacardi Miami Sailing Week, Miami, Fla. (8th/30 Melges 24s)
Paige Railey
Kiel Week, Kiel, Germany (1st/51 Laser Radials)
US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR, Fla. (1st/58 Laser Radials)
Laser Midwinters East, Clearwater, Fla. (1st/106 Laser Radials)
Laser Radial North Americans, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (1st/22 boats)
Pan American Games, Guadalajara, Mexico (3rd/13 Laser Radials)
Weymouth and Portland Regatta, England (3rd/49 Laser Radials)
Princess Sofia Trophy, Palma de Mallorca, Spain (4th/78 Laser Radials)
Skandia Sail for Gold, Weymouth, England (14th/90 Laser Radials)
French Olympic Sailing Week, Hyères, France (13th/98 Laser Radials)
Anna Tunnicliffe
Skandia Sail For Gold, Weymouth, England (1st/24 Elliott 6m)
BoatU.S. Santa Maria Cup, Annapolis, Md. (1st/8 J/22s)
Buddy Melges Challenge, Sheboygan, Wisc. (1st/16 Elliott 6m)
US Sailing’s Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship, Rochester, N.Y. (2nd/36 J/22s)
US Sailing’s Rolex Miami OCR, Fla. (2nd/24 Elliott 6m)
Princess Sofia Trophy, Palma de Mallorca, Spain (3rd/24 Elliott 6m)
Cory Sertl
US Sailing’s Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship, Rochester, N.Y. (1st/36 J/22s)
J/22 Northeast Championships, Lake George, N.Y. (3rd/40 boats)