Dec. 15, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Jan Harley, Media Pro Int'l for Rolex Watch U.S.A., 401.849.0220NOMINEES ANNOUNCED FOR US SAILING's2005 ROLEX YACHTSMAN AND YACHTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS
PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (December 15, 2005) - US SAILING, national governing body for the sport, has announced the U.S. sailors who have been short listed for its 2005 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards. Included on the list of finalists are Anna Tunnicliffe ('05) and Sally Barkow ('02). Tunnicliffe was the Female Collegiate Sailor of the Year as a senior in 2005 and won three consecutive singlehanded national championships. Barkow was a three-time collegiate All-American at ODU.
Established in 1961 by US SAILING and sponsored by Rolex Watch, U.S.A. since 1980, US SAILING's Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards recognize outstanding on-the-water achievement in the calendar year just concluded. Widely regarded as the sport's ultimate recognition for U.S. sailors, US SAILING's Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards have honored such sailing standouts as Betsy Alison, Dave Curtis, Dennis Conner, Courtenay Dey, JJ Isler, John Kostecki, Jody Swanson and Ted Turner, all of whom have won the coveted award multiple times.
Nominees for US SAILING's 2005 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year are: Kiel Week 470 Men's Champion Mikee Anderson-Mitterling (Coronado, Calif.); Laser North American Champion and World University Games Gold Medalist Andrew Campbell (San Diego, Calif.); Snipe World Champion Augie Diaz (Miami, Fla.); Kiel Week 470 Men's Champion David Hughes (San Diego, Calif.); J/24 and Thistle National Champion Mike Ingham (Rochester, N.Y.); Etchells World Champion Jeff Linton (Tampa, Fla.); A-Class Catamaran World and North American Champion Pete Melvin (Huntington Beach, Calif.); 2.4 Metre World Champion Nick Scandone (Fountain Valley, Calif.); and Star North American and Snipe National Champion George Szabo (San Diego, Calif.).
Nominees for US SAILING's 2005 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year are: Yngling Women's World Champion Sally Barkow (Nashotah, Wis.); Laser Radial World Champion Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.); and Laser Radial World Bronze Medalist Anna Tunnicliffe (Perrysburg, Ohio/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 together will discuss the merits of each nominee and vote by secret ballot to determine US SAILING's 2005 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year. The winners will be announced in January and honored during a luncheon at the New York Yacht Club in New York City, on February 24, 2006, 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 Olympic Games preparation, US SAILING championships, disabled sailing, and offshore, one-design and women's events.
About US SAILINGThe United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) is the national governing body for sailing and sailboat racing. Headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the organization's mission is to encourage participation and promote excellence in sailing and racing in the U.S. US SAILING offers training and education programs, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including the US Sailing Teams and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.