Paul Cayard Wins Rolex Yachtsman of the Year
On Thursday, February 12, US Sailing took over the famed New York Yacht Club trophy room to announce the winners of the 2025 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards. Paul Cayard was named the Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, while Laura Grondin was named the Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year. Mirroring his recent second win of the Star Worlds, this is Cayard’s second time at the podium as Rolex Yachtsman of the Year.
The awards recognize exceptional accomplishments in the sport of sailing over the past calendar year. The selection process involved a vote by past Rolex Award winners and prominent members of the sailing media.
A seasoned veteran on the racing scene, Paul Cayard has no shortage of titles to his name. His mainstay has been the Star class, where in 2025 he won the World Championship, triumphing over a fleet of 100-plus boats in Split, Croatia. This championship win is Cayard’s second Star World title, coming 37 years after his first Worlds win in 1988. He also placed third at the Star North American Championship. Outside of Star sailing, Cayard is an accomplished tactician, winning the Voiles de Saint-Tropez on Twin Soul B.
Outside his accomplishments in 2025, for which he was awarded the Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, Cayard is one of the most experienced American sailors to date. He has competed in the Olympics, America’s Cup, and Whitbread Round the World Race (now The Ocean Race), winning the Louis Vuitton Cup aboard the Italian Il Moro di Venezia in 1992 and Whitbread aboard EF Language in 1998. He competed in the 2004 Olympics in the Star class for the United States, placing fifth overall. Since then, Cayard has been involved in the management side of the sport, serving as the director of America One Racing and president of the International Star Class.
Laura Grondin — Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year
Laura Grondin proved herself a formidable competitor in the world of sport keelboats in 2025 with her team Dark Energy. Grondin made history as the first female helm to win the J/70 World Championship this past year, with the title coming down to the last moments of the final race. Grondin also finished second at the Melges 24 World Championship, overcoming a collision and two DNFs early in the regatta. This is her first Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year win, although she was a nominee in 2021 and 2022.
Outside her accomplishments in 2025, for which she was awarded the Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, Grondin has had prior success in the J/70 fleet, finishing third at the World Championship in 2021 and 2023. She is a former International Melges 24 Class chair and is one of the class’s most accomplished female owner-drivers, consistently demonstrating competitive excellence and leadership both on and off the water.
“The Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards represent the very highest standard of excellence in our sport,” remarked Charlie Enright, US Sailing CEO. “Having been fortunate enough to receive this honor myself, I know how meaningful it is — not just as recognition of results, but as acknowledgment of the dedication, teamwork and resilience required to succeed at the highest level of sailing. This year’s winners truly exemplify what makes American sailing world class.”
You’ll find many familiar names of West Coast sailors on the list of past Rolex winners, including Stan Honey, Sally (Lindsay) Honey, past Star world champion Mark Reynolds and many more. Below you can see the whole list of Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the year recipients since 1961.
Past Winners:
2024 – Ian Barrows and Hans Henken/Cole Brauer
2023 – Charlie Enright/Christina Wolfe
2022 – Ravi Parent/Daniela Moroz
2021 – Harry Melges IV/Daniela Moroz
2020 – Not awarded
2019 – Mike Martin and Adam Lowry/Daniela Moroz
2018 – Jud Smith/Carmen and 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 and Kevin Burnham/Jody Swanson
2003 – Augie Diaz/Hannah Swett
2002 – John Kostecki/Liz Baylis
2001 – Steve Fossett/Cory Sertl
2000 – Mark Reynolds and Magnus Liljedahl/JJ Isler and 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 and Lynne Jewell
1987 – Ed Adams/Susan Dierdorff Taylor
1986 – Dennis Conner/JJ Isler
1985 – Ken Read/Kathy Steele and 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