Sailing

U.S. Sailing names 2017 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year

BRISTOL, Rhode Island (LOG NEWS SERVICE) — A seasoned veteran and a breakthrough performer on the verge of stardom are the recipients of US Sailing’s 2017 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards.

J/70 World Champion Peter Duncan from Rye, New York and Enoshima Olympic Week Laser Radial Gold Medalist Erika Reineke from Fort Lauderdale, Florida have been selected as Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year for their remarkable sailing performances in 2017.

The selection, announced on Jan. 25, follows the announcement in December of the six men and eight women who were shortlisted for these prestigious awards.

The slate of 14 nominees, which had been determined by the membership of US Sailing, was presented to a panel of sailing media professionals, who together discussed the merits of each nominee and individually voted to determine the ultimate winners.

Duncan’s year was highlighted with a win at the ultra-competitive Audi J/70 World Championship in September off the waters of Porto Cervo in Sardinia, Italy.

Duncan won four other J/70 regattas in 2017, including the Italian National Championships (Alcatel Cup), New England Championships, Bacardi Cup and Sail Newport Regatta.

Reineke’s 2017 highlights include being honored as the 2017 Quantum Women’s College Sailor of the Year, winning A-Division at ICSA Women’s College Nationals, placing third in the A-Division at ICSA Coed College Nationals, winning silver at the Aarhus World Championship Test event in the Laser Radial, and winning gold at Enoshima Olympic Week 2017.

Two of the finalist nominees for the award — Drew Freides from Pacific Palisades and Daniela Moroz from Lafayette, who was last year’s Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year — are from California.

Reineke and Duncan will be honored on Wednesday, Feb. 28 during a luncheon at the New York Yacht Club in Manhattan, where they will be presented with specially-engraved Rolex timepieces.

`           Established in 1961 by US Sailing and sponsored by Rolex Watch, since 1980, the annual presentation of the 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.

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