© 2004 United States Sailing Association

"I'm looking forward to working with our many sailors, clubs, classes and partners in promoting and improving our sport," said Capron. "Serving as president of sailing's national governing body is quite a responsibility and I am honored to have been elected for this position."

Capron has been involved with US Sailing in many capacities over the years. He has served on the organization's Board of Directors since 2001, most recently as a Vice President. He has also been a member of numerous committees, including the Appeals, Judges, Race Administration, and Olympic Sailing Committees. In addition, Capron is a US Sailing Senior Judge and Umpire as well as an International Judge and Umpire certified by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF). As an official, he has served as a judge or umpire at many international events, including the Olympic Games, Louis Vuitton Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, and the ISAF World Sailing Games.

Capron is an experienced sailor as well, having owned and campaigned various classes of sailboats over the years, from a Penguin to a J/35 racer/cruiser. An engineer by trade, he is the founder and president of Capron Company, Inc., a facility automation design and contracting firm located in Rockville, MD. Between cruising the Chesapeake Bay and his volunteer work at US Sailing and ISAF, Capron still finds time to race his Etchells.

Janet Baxter led the organization from October 2003 through this 2006 annual meeting. "I have thoroughly enjoyed serving the sport of sailing as president of this dynamic organization," said Baxter. "I am confident that US Sailing will continue to advance and evolve under Jim's leadership and sailing will benefit."

© 2004 United States Sailing Association

Susie Trotman has played a major role in the development of the national certification program for sailing instructors when the small boat program was first created in the early 1980s. She was instrumental in the cultivation of US Sailing's Training Department and Training's Small Boat Instructor Training and Certification Program. Her enthusiasm, dedication, and commitment helped foster the programÕs growth by promoting and managing 20 annual Small Boat courses with 300 instructor candidates in the North East and around the country.

When the Small Boat Instructor Training program was complete and running on its own, Trotman jumped right into other projects. She has helped to create the Keelboat Certification System and to keep the Windsurfing program up and running, has supported the coaching program and championed the training program for competent and safe powerboating. Beyond Trotman's involvement with US Sailing, she has been a pillar of one the most successful junior sail training programs, the Junior Sailing Association of Long Island Sound.

"Without Susie Trotman, there might not be a Small Boat Instructor training and evaluation program, or a Windsurfing Training program, or a Keelboat program," said the US Sailing committee that nominated Trotman for the award. "Susie has had an unparalleled impact on participation and excellence in sailing for at least the last 20 years."

The Nathanael G. Herreshoff Trophy was donated to US Sailing in 1957 by the National Marine Manufacturers Association and is awarded annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the sport of sailing in this country. The recipient is selected by US Sailing's Board of Directors from nominations made by members of the Board, Committee Chairs, past Presidents and Counselors of Honor.

Nathanael Herreshoff was one of the preeminent designers and builders of his time. Born in Bristol, RI, in 1848, "Captain Nat" was a mechanical genius with a love for boats. He learned building techniques from the old craftsmen of Bristol, studied mechanical engineering at M.I.T., and began an unprecedented career that included many innovations in the design and construction of military, commercial and pleasure craft, both steam-powered and sail. Perhaps his greatest feat was designing and building yachts that successfully defended the AmericaÕs Cup in six consecutive matches from 1893 through 1920, a span of 27 years. His success in the varied aspects of the industry earned him the nickname, "The Wizard of Bristol."

© 2004 United States Sailing Association

This is the second consecutive year that Paige Railey was nominated for the female ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award. Railey, who is 19 years old, has proven herself as the sailor to beat in the Laser Radial, which was selected two years ago as the new equipment for the Women's One Person Dinghy Olympic event.

With no prior experience of Olympic level sailing, the teenager's meteoric rise to the top of the sport has shocked Railey more than anyone. But her lack of experience proved no barrier to success as she has moved seamlessly from the top of the youth sailing world to the top of the sport at senior level. In 2005, Railey won the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in Korea and a few months later went on to win the Laser Radial World Championships in Brazil.

Railey opened the 2006 season with victories at the French Olympic Sailing Week and the ISAF World Sailing Games in Austria, although she struggled during the summer at the European and World Championships with some below par performances. However in August she bounced back in fine style, to win a challenging Olympic Test Regatta in Qingdao, China, the venue for the Olympic Sailing Competition in 2008.

Paige had the following to say after learning she had won the award:

"This comes as a shock, I didn't really think I had the chance to win. I was really excited just to be nominated again. So to win it, I can't tell you how excited I am...I'd like to thank my family and my coach, Kaj Glinkiewicz, because they're pretty much the backbone for my sailing campaign. And thanks to my training partner Ben Paton and to my federation, US SAILING, for all the excellent work they're doing on behalf of sailors like me."

You can read US Sailing's press release here.

© 2004 United States Sailing Association

It certainly was no easy win for Capozzi, particularly in the finals. Capozzi won the first race in the finals, but Pilley-Lovell – sailing with Chafee Emory (Newport, RI), Deb Willits (La Porte, TX) and Tara Thomas (Severna Park, MD) - dug back in the second race to tie the series. Race 3 saw a great battle between the two, with Capozzi barely taking the win. After changing boats, the two teams went back at it. After a very exciting pre-start, Capozzi was able to control off the line, then used great boat speed to stay out in front, even with Pilley-Lovell and her team finding some great pressure and advantageous lifts. Capozzi cruised across the line to take the fourth match and win the title. Capozzi, who was on the winning boat last year, and her crew took home US Sailing's Allegra Knapp Mertz Trophy as the 2006 U.S. Women's Match Racing Champions.

In the Petit Finals, Liz Baylis (San Rafael, CA) and her team of Melinda Erkelens (Piedmont, CA), Pease Glaser (Long Beach, CA) and Jo Ann Jones (Arnold, MD) defeated the team led by Sandy Hayes (Scituate, MA) and her crew Kelly Dale (Long Beach, CA), Lee Icyda (Stuart, FL) and Amanda Callahan (Canton, MaA).

You can read US Sailing's press release here.

© 2004 United States Sailing Association

Augie Barkow (Pewaukee, WI), C-Scow National Champion, had been in the lead since day one, but when he finished 15, 13, 11 in races 9, 10 and 11 respectively on the last day of the regatta, the lead was up for grabs. Field and Hunt were happy to step up, winning races 10 and 11. From then on, their lead was sealed and with a pair of fifth place finishes in the regatta's two last races, the title was theirs. Barkow ended up finishing third overall, behind Matt Burridge (St. Louis, MO), Lightning North American Champion, who posted some solid top ten finishes including a pair of firsts in race 9 and 13 to finish second overall. "It was pond sailing today" said Burridge when describing his strategy and the light and shifty conditions on the final day of the regatta. "And don't wait too late to consolidate," he added.

Although neither Field nor Hunt have any experience sailing scows, they attribute their success to two factors: Field, besides growing up in a variety of one designs including Sabots, Lidos, and Thistles, sails in the ultra competitive Farr 40 fleet. "Both the Martin 242 and the Farr 40 are like big dinghies, where very small adjustments can reap large gains." said Field. Crew Hunt admitted to tuning up his dinghy skills by sailing FJs with the Point Loma High School Sailing Team, which he coaches.

You can read US Sailing's press release here.