SAN DIEGO, Calif. (February 7, 2020) – On Thursday night under the stars aboard the historic and storied USS Midway in San Diego at Navy Pier, the best best U.S. sailor athletes of 2019 were honored among family, friends, peers, competitors, and contributors to the sport of sailing.
International 505 World Champions, Mike Martin (Mill Valley, Calif.) and Adam Lowry (Mill Valley, Calif.) and IKA Formula Kite Class World Champion Daniela Moroz (Lafayette, Calif.) earned this year’s special distinction and were celebrated along with the 2019 award finalists who were all participating in the evening program’s festivities.
“I turned 19 last week and today I have a Rolex® from US Sailing and this prestigious honor,” said Daniela Moroz, Yachtswoman of the Year.” I want to congratulate all the other finalists and those that have come before me.”
“Sailing is a team effort and I want to thank Rolex® for supporting our sport,” said Mike Martin, Yachtsman of the Year. Adding to the special evening, his co-award winner and sailing partner Adam Lowry shared, “It is all about business out on the water, but we have fun and it was a great year. I too want to thank Rolex® as well as US Sailing for the honor.”
Moroz also won this award as a 16 year old in 2016 becoming the youngest ever to claim the prize. She was also the first kiteboarder to receive this award.
In February, the top performing U.S. sailors of the year were shortlisted for US Sailing’s 2019 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards. The annual determination of this year’s awards represented a wide range of accomplished sailors from various disciplines in the sport.
Martin earns his first Rolex Yachtsman of the Year after being shortlisted for the award six times over the years.
The winners were presented with US Sailing’s Rolex® Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year award trophy along with specially engraved Rolex® timepieces. These honorees join an elite group of notable national sailors.
The 2019 finalists were listed on a ballot and presented to panels of past award winners and sailing media journalists who voted for the winners. In an exciting twist to this year’s process, the fans had an opportunity to be part of the selection process and vote online for the 2019 winners. Votes from the three voting groups, including the sailing media, past award winners, and the fans counted equally towards determining the winners.
“Being in San Diego for the first time it has brought us the biggest crowds in the history of the awards,” said Gary Jobson, Emcee and Past President US Sailing. “Another first, we introduced the public vote component, which was well received. Everyone should feel proud. It is a great honor and hopefully tonight everyone in attendance will go on and inspire others in the future to strive for this prestigious award.”
“Rolex® has been a partner with US Sailing for 40 years,” said Kyle Younghans, Rolex® Marketing Director. “It is a tremendous event and we at Rolex ® want to congratulate the winners. It is a privilege to support the sport and celebrate the best of the best that embody the values of Rolex® elegance, precision, performance.”
Learn more about the 2019 award winners:
Mike Martin (Mill Valley, Calif.) and Adam Lowry (Mill Valley, Calif.): It was yet another triumphant season on the 505 circuit for Mike Martin and Adam Lowry. The California tandem won the 2019 International 505 World Championships held in Fremantle, Australia in January. They defeated the large fleet of 89 teams with a dominating performance. Martin and Lowry clinched the regatta before the final day of racing and did not race in the final two races of the championship and still won by 14-points over Mike Holt and Carl Smit. The win for Martin marked his fourth 505 World Championship, and for Lowry it was his second.
2019 Sailing Resume Highlights:
International 505 World Championship
Fremantle, Australia / January 2-7, 2019
Results: 1/89
505 North American Championship
Ontario, Canada / August 22-26, 2019
Results: 1/39
505 Canadian Championship (CORK)
Ontario, Canada / August 16-18, 2019
Results: 1/23
Columbia Gorge One-Design Regatta- 505
Portland, OR / July 26-28, 2019
Results: 1/21
Daniela Moroz (Lafayette, Calif.): Kiting phenom Daniela Moroz makes the shortlist for the fourth consecutive year. In 2016, she became the youngest to ever win the award, female or male, at the age of 15 when she burst onto the kite foiling scene. Moroz once again defended her Formula Kite World Championship with a resounding victory on Lake Garda in Italy, her fourth consecutive World Championship against a growing and increasingly talented women’s fleet of 30 competitors. Moroz continued her dominance by winning five of seven races and placing second in the two races she did not win. She won by three points over Russian challenger Elena Kalinina.
2019 Sailing Resume Highlights:
IKA Formula Kite Class World Championship
Lake Garda, Italy / May 1-5, 2019
Results: 1/29
European Championship
Sardinia, Italy / September 25-29, 2019
Results: 1/30
ANOC World Beach Games
Katara Beach, Qatar / October 13-15, 2019
Results: 1/20
Hempel World Cup Series Finale
Marseille, France / June 2-9, 2019
Overall Results: 12/20
Women’s Results: 1/4
Kite Foil World Series
Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy / October 2-6, 2019
Overall results: 18/64
Women’s results: 1/23
Kite Foil World Series
Gizzeria, Italy / July 24-28, 2019
Overall Results: 18/80
Women’s Results: 1/20
Kite Foil World Series
Weifang Beihai, China / September 5-9, 2019
Overall Results: 12/35
Women’s Results: 1/9
Kite Foil World Series
Pingtan, China / September 12-17, 2019
Overall Results: 12/27
Women’s Results: 1/8
Congratulations to all the 2019 finalists:
Yachtsman Finalists – David and Peter Askew; Mike Martin and Adam Lowry; Willem Van Waay
Yachtswoman Finalists – Nicole Breault; Daniela Moroz; Berta Puig and Bella Casaretto
US Sailing Communications:
Jake Fish, jakefish@ussailing.org
About US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and advancement for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Bristol, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501© (3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.
A Natural and Supportive Partner
Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. It naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and today supports the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas. The brand is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races, such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Rolex Middle Sea Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting new SailGP global championship, where national teams race in supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbors. Rolex’s partnerships with the likes of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Royal Malta Yacht Club, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.
About Rolex®
An unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise.
Rolex®, a Swiss watch manufacture headquartered in Geneva, is recognized the world over for its expertise and the quality of its products. Its Oyster Perpetual and Cellini watches, all certified as Superlative Chronometers for their precision, performance and reliability, are symbols of excellence, elegance and prestige. The word “Perpetual” is inscribed on every Rolex® Oyster. But more than just a word on a dial, it is a philosophy that embodies the company’s vision and values. Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of the company, instilled a notion of perpetual excellence that would drive the company forward. This led Rolex® to pioneer the development of the wristwatch and numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism, invented in 1931. Rolex® has registered over 500 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated and independent manufacturing company, Rolex® designs, develops and produces in-house the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Furthermore, Rolex® is actively involved in supporting the arts and culture, sport and exploration, as well as those who are devising solutions to preserve the planet.