Help ‘Latitude 38’ Award the 2025 Wosser Trophies
While most people associate sailing trophies with winning regattas, there are three prestigious trophies to be awarded this year that reward just the simple and important act of going out and competing, no matter the result.
These three awards are collectively known as “The Wosser Trophies,” named in honor of Jake, Ruth and Susie Wosser. Legendary San Francisco Bay sailor Ron Young spearheaded the project several years ago, with the aim of increasing participation in sailboat racing on San Francisco Bay amid concerns of ever-shrinking fleets.
Unlike most trophies in sailing, these are not simply awarded to whichever boat amassed the fewest points over the course of a weekend regatta or a season. There is a lot more research that needs to be done in order to figure out the winner of each award, and we can’t do this on our own; we need your help. If, based on the criteria laid out below, you believe that you or a friend would be a potential candidate for one of these three prestigious awards, please either email me ([email protected]) or fill out the corresponding Google form.
The three trophies are as follows:
The Jake Wosser Trophy:
The Jake Wosser Trophy is to be awarded to the winner of the largest one-design regatta on San Francisco Bay this year. This could be a weekend series regatta from any of the local one-design fleets (J/105, Knarr, Moore 24, etc.), a Pacific Coast, national, North American or world championship event in any class no matter how big or small, or anything in between. As of now, we believe that the current frontrunner would be the 2025 RS Tera North American Championship recently hosted at St. Francis Yacht Club.
If you believe that you would qualify for the Jake Wosser Trophy, or know of a regatta on the Bay this year that could qualify, please email me.
The Ruth Wosser Trophy:
The Ruth Wosser Trophy is to be awarded to the boat that raced in or started in the most YRA-sanctioned or Coast Guard-approved races throughout 2025. If you believe this may be you, please fill out this Google form.
The Susie Wosser Trophy:
The Susie Wosser Trophy is to be awarded to the boat owner who takes the greatest number of sailors out racing throughout the year. Getting new people onto the water is how we ensure our sport endures. For this trophy, taking out junior sailors (sailors under the age of 19) counts as taking out two sailors. If you believe that you should win this trophy, please fill out this Google form.
If you have any questions about the Wosser Trophies, you can always reach out to me ([email protected]), to John Arndt ([email protected]), or to Laura Muñoz ([email protected]).
I just want to applaud the concept of these trophies and thank L38 for awarding them. I haven’t sailed on the Bay for 25 years but still dream of doing so many nights…
Doug – thanks for the kind note though we need to give Ron Young the credit for the vision and for making it happen. The truth is, we completely agree with the mission and the value of these trophies but have struggled to promote and award them. Regardless, we’re going to do our best. It’s great to have Fritz Bauldoff on board to help and the support of Laura at the YRA. Like Ron Young, we’d like to see more people our racing and want to present these awards to those who get out there and bring as a many new crew aboard over the course of the year.
Cinde Lou Delmas continues to be very generous with her beautiful Alerian 38. On Saturday of the Great Pumpkin Regatta, we had five women over 70- three that were over 80. On Sunday’s Pursuit Race, we had a six year old girl and an eight year old girl in fairly gnarly conditions. The girls loved it !
Cinde Lou was the first winner of the Susie Wosser trophy by taking 51 different people of all ages racing with her in 2021! We know she continues to take a boatload of people sailing every year. Thanks Cinde Lou!