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 recognize the individual male and female U.S. sailors who have demonstrated on-the-water excellence at international and national events to earn their place in the history of the sport. These prestigious awards are widely viewed by the sail-racing industry as the foremost individual competitive sailing honors in the nation.
On Thursday, February 1, 2024, as part of US Sailing’s National Sailing Programs Symposium, the best U.S. sailor athletes of 2023 were honored among family, friends, peers, competitors, and contributors to the sport of sailing.
Charlie Enright (Barrington, RI) and Christina Wolfe (Orcas, WA) were awarded the 2023 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Award and were celebrated along with fellow 2023 award finalists Betsy Alison, Erika Reineke, Steve Hunt, and Allan Terhune, Jr.
The winners were presented with the Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Award trophy along with specially engraved Rolex Yacht-Master timepieces. These honorees join an elite group of notable national sailors.
As Skipper, Charlie Enright led the 11th Hour Racing Team to become the first American flagged team to ever win The Ocean Race in 2023. In his third shot at the elusive Ocean Race Trophy, the win had been over 10 years in the making for his team, and over 6 years in the making for 11th Hour Racing.
Of the Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Award, Charlie Enright said “It’s iconic. It makes me think of all the people who have come before all of us. I’ve done a lot of sailing with some of the other finalists who were nominated, and I’ve certainly learned a lot from all of them. This is an individual award in theory, but it takes a village no matter what you’re doing, and I can’t say enough about all the teammates that we had in this endeavor.”
Christina Wolfe is an accomplished offshore sailor, having put thousands of offshore miles under her belt. Wolfe is best known for her doublehanded sailing, which she does often with her husband, Justin. In 2023, Wolfe achieved 1st Overall ORC, 2nd Overall IRC, and Double-handed Line Honors in the Rolex Middle Sea Race, first female skipper overall in the Rolex Fastnet Race, and first in IRC 2 at the De Guingand Bowl, all achieved doublehanded.
“Never in a million years did I expect to be standing on this stage, let alone in the room with all of you,” said Christina Wolfe. “This is an incredible honor for me to be up here on this stage. I don’t sail for a living, but when I do sail, it’s the most alive that I feel, and I know many of you feel that as well. I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to do this, to see these iconic races, and to meet inspiring people.”
In January, three men and three women were chosen as finalists for US Sailing’s 2023 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards. The annual rundown of the year’s “best in the U.S.” represents a wide range of accomplished sailors from various disciplines and at different stages of their respective careers. All nominees are highly distinguished and talented, and the nomination panel was especially impressed by their growth and depth of achievements. Yachtsman and Yachtswoman finalists earned their spot on this exclusive list by dominating their respective classes and showing true variety in their sailing accomplishments. All six of these sailors represent their own unique pathway in the sport, have demonstrated on-the-water excellence at international and national events, and have brought global recognition to sailing while representing the United States.
VIEW RECORDING OF THE CEREMONY
Past Winners
2023 – Christina Wolfe / Charlie Enright
2022 – Ravi Parent / Daniela Moroz
2021 – Harry Melges IV / Daniela Moroz
2020 – Not awarded
2019 – Mike Martin & Adam Lowry/Daniela Moroz
2018 – Jud Smith/Carmen & Emma Cowles
2017 – Peter Duncan/Erika Reineke
2016 – Caleb Paine/Daniela Moroz
2015 – Steve Benjamin/Annie Haeger
2014 – Terry Hutchinson/Stephanie Roble
2013 – Brian Porter/Jody Starck
2012 – Johnny Heineken/Jen French
2011 – Bill Hardesty/Anna Tunnicliffe
2010 – Stan Honey/Anna Tunnicliffe
2009 – Bora Gulari/Anna Tunnicliffe
2008 – Terry Hutchinson/Anna Tunnicliffe
2007 – Jeff Linton/Sally Barkow
2006 – Jud Smith/Paige Railey
2005 – Nick Scandone/Sally Barkow
2004 – Paul Foerster & Kevin Burnham/Jody Swanson
2003 – Augie Diaz/Hannah Swett
2002 – John Kostecki/Liz Baylis
2001 – Steve Fossett/Cory Sertl
2000 – Mark Reynolds & Magnus Liljedahl/JJ Isler & Pease Glaser
1999 – Eric Doyle/Dawn Riley
1998 – Paul Cayard /Betsy (Gelenitis) Alison
1997 – Chris Larson/JJ Isler
1996 – Dave Ullman/Courtenay (Becker) Dey
1995 – Ed Baird/Cory Sertl
1994 – Ken Read/Danielle Brennan
1993 – Cam Lewis/Betsy (Gelenitis) Alison
1992 – Kevin Mahaney/Julia Trotman
1991 – Ed Adams/JJ Isler
1990 – Jim Brady/Courtenay Becker
1989 – Larry Klein/Jody Swanson
1988 – John Kostecki/Allison Jolly & Lynne Jewell
1987 – Ed Adams/Susan Dierdorff Taylor
1986 – Dennis Conner/JJ Isler
1985 – Ken Read/Kathy Steele & Heidi Backus
1984 – Bill Buchan/Betsy Gelenitis
1983 – Dave Curtis/Wendy Thomson
1982 – Randy Smyth/Betsy Gelenitis
1981 – Dave Curtis/Betsy Gelenitis
1980 – Dennis Conner/Lynne Jewell
1979 – Ted Turner/Nell Taylor
1978 – Buddy Melges/Bonnie Shore
1977 – Ted Turner/Jan O’Malley
1976 – Lowell North/Allison Jolly
1975 – Dennis Conner/Joan Ellis
1974 – Ted Hood/Sally Lindsay
1973 – Ted Turner/Sally Lindsay
1972 – Buddy Melges/Jane Pegel
1971 – Ding Schoonmaker/Jane Pegel
1970 – Ted Turner/Jan O’Malley
1969 – Robert F. Johnson/Jan O’Malley
1968 – Lowell North/June Methot
1967 – Bus Mosbacher/Betty Foulk
1966 – Bill Cox/Jerie Clark
1965 – Dick Tillman/Timothea (Schneider) Larr
1964 – Bob Bavier/Jane Pegel
1963 – Joe Duplin/Leggie Mertz
1962 – Bus Mosbacher/Sue Sinclair
1961 – Buddy Melges/Timothea Schneider