Annapolis, Md. (June 29, 2017) – The National Sailing Hall of Fame (NSHOF) today announced the eight people who will make up its 2017 class of inductees:
Bill Bentsen (Winnetka, Ill./Lake Geneva, Wisc.), a two-time Olympic medalist – bronze in 1964 and gold in 1972 – who has created an indelible legacy for the sport through his contributions as a racing rules and race administration expert; 5.5 World Champion Ray Hunt (Duxbury, Mass.), the innately talented yacht designer of both sail and power vessels; boatbuilder Clark Mills(Clearwater, Fla.), best-known as the designer of the wildly popular Optimist dinghy used by children under age 16; windsurfing superstar Robby Naish (Haiku, Hawaii), who won his first world championship title at age 13 and went on to build a multi-million dollar watersports business; two-time Tornado Olympic Silver Medalist Randy Smyth (Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.), whose expertise as a catamaran sailor led to, among other things, work on major motion pictures; and noted America’s Cup sailor Tom Whidden (Essex, Conn.), the industry giant who recently celebrated 30 years with global brand North Sails. Two additional Inductees are being recognized with the NSHOF Lifetime Achievement Award: avid sailor Bill Martin (Ann Arbor, Mich.), whose leadership roles in business and sailing – including the Presidency of the U.S. Olympic Committee – led to a noteworthy 10 years as Athletic Director at the University of Michigan, and Corny Shields (New Rochelle, N.Y.), winner of the inaugural Mallory Cup which earned him national recognition on the cover of Time magazine in 1953, who conceived the Shields one-design in 1964 and founded the I.O.D. class.
On November 13, the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) inducted Buddy Melges into the World Sailing Hall of Fame, one of seven people so honored this year in recognition of their outstanding achievements and the significant impact they have made on sailing. ISAF President Carlo Croce announced the names of the 2015 inductees at a ceremony at the organization’s Annual Conference, held this year in Sanya, China.
ISAF established the World Sailing Hall of Fame in 2007 in celebration of the organization’s centenary year. The first induction ceremony was in 2007; the third will be in 2019.
“The World Sailing Hall of Fame recognizes excellence both on and off the water,” said President Croce. “Induction honors an individual’s significant and lasting contributions to the growth, reputation, and character of the sport, and it is the ultimate recognition bestowed by World Sailing, the governing body of the sport.”
Candidates are nominated by ISAF members and selected by the Executive Committee.
“I wish to express my appreciation and my gratitude to the International Sailing Federation, to President Croce, and to the Executive Committee for electing me to the World Sailing Hall of Fame,” said Melges on learning of his selection. “I am greatly honored.”
In addition to Buddy Melges, the 2015 inductees are Dennis Connor (US), Alessandra Sensini (Italy), Harold Vanderbilt (1884-1970, US), Torben Grael (Brazil), Sir Peter Blake (1948-2001, New Zealand), and Valentin Mankin (1938-2014, Russia). The 2007 inductees were Paul Elvstrom (Denmark), Barbara Kendall (New Zealand), Sir Robin Knox-Johnson (Great Britain), Dame Ellen MacArthur (Great Britain), Olin Stephens (US), and Eric Tabarly (France).
In 2011, Buddy Melges was inducted into the (US) National Sailing Hall of Fame and has also been named to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame, the Inland Lake Yachting Association Hall of Fame, the America’s Cup Hall of Fame, and the Badger High School Wall of Success.
NORFOLK, Va. – After some exceptionally close and competitive racing, sophomore Malcolm Lamphere took home the Glen S. Foster Trophy for placing first at the ICSA Men’s Singlehanded National Championship. Junior Mitchell Kiss and freshman Nic Baird also had outstanding performances, placing fifth and seventh, respectively.
The weekend started slowly. On Saturday, marginal breeze postponed racing for most of the day, and only three races were completed in a light 3-6 knot breeze. At this point, Baird sat in first, Lamphere sat in second and Kiss in fourth.
Sunday’s wind conditions were much better than Saturday’s: a 15-knot northeasterly predominated for most of the day. These conditions were perfect for Lamphere, who spent all summer training in the Laser and is of an optimal body type for strong breeze. He climbed to the top throughout the day with extremely consistent finishes. He placed outside of the top 10 in only one race on Sunday.
In the end, Lamphere won the event with a three-point lead over Harvard’s Juan Perdomo. Point totals were very close until the very end.
Baird and Kiss also had great weekends. They were both very much contenders for the Foster Trophy and added to the high level of competition of the event – they both found themselves in the top three multiple times this weekend.
Next weekend the Bulldogs will return to Old Dominion University for the Atlantic Coast Championships, which acts as the doublehanded championship for the fall season.
Chapman Petersen finished in 20th place overall in a 119-boat fleet (representing 17 countries) at the 2015 Optimist Asian & Oceanian Championships, held in Doha, Qatar, October 23-31. He was the top US sailor.
Jane Pegel received a Leader in Education Award, May 16, from the Geneva Lake Branch of the American Association of University Women. The award honors women who have demonstrated vision, inspiration, and made an outstanding contribution to their community. The AAUW advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research.
At the presentation, Jane was praised as “a shining example of success in athletics and educational leadership.”
“During the decades that she raced, she inspired her fellow sailor – girls and boys, men and women – with her expertise and her intellectual approach to equipment, preparation and practice, attention to detail, and analysis of weather conditions.”
Jane Pegel was praised for her ongoing responsibilities at the Yacht Club as chief judge, for her race committee work, for her local and national sailing achievements, and for her years as instructor, director, board member, and president of the Geneva Lake Sailing School.
“She shared her expertise both in the classroom and on the lake with a generation of sailors, stressing teamwork, sportsmanship, and safety, and introducing many of them to what would become their lifetime sport.”
As part of the Leader in Education Award, the Lake Geneva Branch has made a donation in Jane’s name to the AAUW Education Fund. The chapter’s activities include the sponsorship of scholarships for area middle school girls to Camp Badger, a science, technology, and engineering camp at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
Congratulations to Chapman Petersen, one of six sailors who will represent the United States at the 2015 International Optimist Dinghy Association Asian Championship, October 23 – 31, in Doha, Qatar, on the Persian Gulf. Chapman is a member of the Opti 2015 – 2016 U. S. Development Team, which with the U. S. Optimist National Team exists to improve the level of Optimist sailing in this country by providing high-level training and coaching to top Opti sailors who compete internationally.
