US Sailing Announces 2024 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year
US Sailing has announced the winners of the 2024 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards. Ian Barrows and Hans Henken have been named the Rolex Yachtsmen of the Year, while Cole Brauer has been named the Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year. These awards recognize their exceptional accomplishments in the sport of sailing over the past year. The winners were honored yesterday during the US Sailing Awards Ceremony at the 2025 US Sailing Leadership Forum in Coronado, California. In an unusual twist, not one of the three winners was available to attend the award ceremony in person — they were sailing, or working on a sailing schedule. They therefore tuned in via live or prerecorded video.
Throughout 2024, we followed both Hans Henken and Cole Brauer’s individual sailing journeys. Henken’s path included racing for Team USA in SailGP’s Season 4 and, together with fellow Yachtsman of the Year Ian Barrows, winning bronze in the Paris Olympics.
Meanwhile, Cole Brauer made sailing history as the first American woman to sail solo, nonstop, around the world. Brauer’s achievement has also earned her the Cruising Club of America 2024 Young Voyager Award.
Henken, Barrows and Brauer were selected from 31 nominees, including Californian sailors Paris Henken, Johnny Heineken, and Howard Hamlin.
We congratulate all sailors on their achievements and their nomination for this prestigious annual award. Just being considered is testimony to each individual’s accomplishments and their commitment to sailing.
You can watch the awards ceremony below.
The selection process involved a vote by past Rolex Award winners and prominent members of the sailing media. US Sailing’s announcement included the following write-up about Henken and Barrows, and Cole Brauer.
“Ian Barrows and Hans Henken secured a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in the Men’s Two-Person Skiff — the 49er — breaking an eight-year Olympic medal drought for the United States. Despite weather delays that added stress to their final medal race, the duo executed a remarkable performance, clinching the bronze medal on the final leg of the race.
“Following their Olympic success, Barrows joined the coaching staff at the College of Charleston, where he continues to inspire and develop future sailing talent. Henken has returned to the roster of the USA SailGP Team, serving as a flight controller and grinder. Their resilience and skill on the international stage have earned them recognition as the best in American sailing for 2024.
“Cole Brauer made history and captivated the global sailing community during the inaugural Global Solo Challenge, a single-handed, non-stop ‘round the world ocean race designed to reduce the cost and environmental impact of ocean racing. Competing aboard her Class 40 First Light, Brauer achieved second place in the race, becoming the first American woman to sail solo around the world.
“Brauer’s journey was not only a feat of endurance and skill but also a storytelling triumph. Through her regular photo and video updates on Instagram, she amassed nearly 400,000 followers, bringing the adventure and challenges of solo ocean racing to a new audience. Her achievements have redefined what is possible in the sport and inspired countless sailors and fans worldwide.”
President of US Sailing Henry Brauer [no relation, we believe] said, “This year’s Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards celebrate three extraordinary sailors whose achievements have left an indelible mark on our sport. Cole, Ian, and Hans have demonstrated unmatched passion, relentless dedication, and unparalleled skill on the water. Their accomplishments not only set the standard for excellence but also inspire the entire sailing community to strive for greatness. These winners embody the very spirit of sailing, reminding us all why we love this sport.”
US Sailing’s Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Award was established in 1961 by US Sailing and has been in partnership with Rolex since 1980. It recognizes the individual male and female American sailors who have demonstrated on-the-water excellence at international and national events, bringing global recognition to sailing in the United States.
Henken, Barrows, and Brauer join a star-studded list of previous winners from across the US that includes world champions, offshore record holders, America’s Cup winners, and more.
For more information about the selection process, please visit the US Sailing website.
Sydney Is Last Stop for SailGP Before California
SailGP is racing in Sydney this weekend as the last stop before the world tour makes its way to California in March. The current standings have Emirates GBR in first, New Zealand in second, and three-time world champions Australia in third. Despite a 12th-place finish in the last event, Taylor Canfield and the United States team are in seventh place overall for the 2025 season after taking third in the first event in Dubai.
Following this weekend’s event, the SailGP teams will travel to Los Angeles for the weekend of March 15-16 and then, in a very quick turnaround, SailGP will be in San Francisco the following weekend, March 22-23. Californian Hans Henken, who last night won the Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award, will be on board Team USA as flight controller/grinder.
Don’t forget, it is already Saturday in Australia, so showtime will be 8:00 this evening in California.
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The Super Bowl vs. Yacht Racing
With Super Bowl LIX (that’s 59 for those of you rusty on your Roman numerals) coming up this Sunday, we thought it would be fun to compare one sport with another. Andy Kopetzky reports:
Who says football and yacht racing have nothing in common? Here are some examples:
False Start:
Pass Interference:
Delay of Game:
Time Out:
We hope you enjoy the big game, but hopefully you’ll get in some yacht racing this weekend too.
Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay Is a Changing Thing
Unlike most parts of the country, Bay Area municipal waterfronts have never been very accommodating for visiting boats. With this year’s closure of the Angel Island guest docks in Ayala Cove, we checked on a few other places sailors could dock for a destination cruise. The good news is Pier 1 1/2 in San Francisco, near the Ferry Building, has now reopened for business. We understand it has a smaller configuration, but you can pull in and visit downtown or stop at La Mar restaurant at the head of the dock.
The bad news is Sam’s dock in Tiburon is currently closed, though they report they’re hoping to reopen in a couple of weeks. You’ll want to check with them before you make plans to head over. With summer coming, everyone will want the dock at Sam’s to be back in action.
We also checked in at Jack London Square, where we learned from harbormaster Jason Koulouris that the guest docks in front of Scott’s Restaurant are open for business. It’s an ever-changing landscape with the recent closure of the Waterfront Hotel, though a new restaurant, Kuidaore Handroll Bar, has opened on the Square. Yoshi’s, The Fat Lady, Heinhold’s First and Last Chance Saloon, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and several other dining destinations are not far from the guest docks. Check them out here.
We also received a photo from Kirby Long of Napa Valley Marina, who has a new guest dock installed along the Napa River. He reports it’s about 200 feet long and has deep draft for anyone who wants to stop by and visit.
Of course most marinas do have some guest slips available by reservation, and if you’re a yacht club member, you can take advantage of reciprocal privileges to tie up at most other yacht clubs.
Overall, the Bay Area is still sorely lacking the many welcoming guest docks found in most parts of the country, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t options. With the docks at Ayala Cove closed you may discover some interesting new alternatives. Anyone have any other guest-docking suggestions? Leave them in our comments below.
Did We Label That Photo “Cook’s Bay” Incorrectly?
Every so often, a reader will call in to correct us on something that we’ve printed in the monthly Latitude, or published online. Last week, Dave Cohan of Tahu Le’a in Redwood City wrote to tell us we had mislabeled a photograph in the January issue. The image accompanied the story “Ready to Jump the Puddle?” — “Along the West Coast of the Americas from California to Panama, it’s that time of year again when sailors of all stripes are getting revved up with excitement in anticipation of making the famous Pacific Puddle Jump passage to French Polynesia — a nonstop bluewater voyage of 3,000 to 4,000 miles, depending on your point of departure.” Read the story here.
Here’s what Dave has to say:
“Recently, I’m probably not among the first several dozen to write to point out that the picture on page 45 of your January issue labeled ‘Cook’s Bay’ on Mo’orea is actually Opunohu Bay — in our opinion and that of many others, the more beautiful and, to date, less developed, of the two deep bays on Mo’orea.
“The first picture [below] shows our favorite anchorage in our Pacific circumnavigation, just behind the reef near the entrance to Opunohu Bay. The reef provided good protection, the trade winds kept away the bugs, and the snorkeling was great, as long as you didn’t mind a few sharks. The beauty of Opunohu Bay in one direction, the open Pacific in the other — and a spot from which we saw the Green Flash at least twice.”
“In the same issue, Reid Glacier in Reid Inlet within Glacier Bay is shown in the spread on pages 70-71. We have no quibble with the facts here, just a bit wistfully note that in 1989 when we were there on Synergy (second picture), it definitely still was a tidewater glacier. There were a smattering of bergy bits and a few larger chunks both floating around and marooned on shore at low tide. Reid Inlet was also among our favorite anchorages, although a bit harder to see the Green Flash.”
“I could say this is another sign of global warming, but that wouldn’t be entirely correct. Not that I don’t believe warming is happening, I absolutely do, but the glaciers in Glacier Bay have been retreating for well over 100 years. When John Muir visited, and wrote about, Glacier Bay a bit over a century ago, both of the current arms of the bay were still filled with glacial ice.
“Thanks again for the reminders of some very special places, both still well worth visiting any way you can.”
Having not been to Mo’orea, we checked Google Images for comparisons of what we labeled Cook’s Bay, and Opunohu Bay. We can certainly see Dave’s argument, though we might have to do a staff excursion to the area to see for ourselves.
What do you think? Is our photo of Cook’s Bay or Opunohu Bay?
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