Sunday, Feb. 7, five teams of frostbiters completed two races in little to no wind. The lack of wind gave the sailors and their crew time to enjoy some refreshment on the race committee boat and watch the beauty of snow falling on the bay. Top sailors: 1) Ted Toombs and Monique Gaylor (#514), 2) Peter Lorson and Kelly Barry (#516) and 3) Greg Corkett and Dena Teschner (#538).

The Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year award was established in 1961 by US Sailing to recognize outstanding on-the-water achievement in the preceding calendar year. US Sailing is a non-profit organization and a National Governing Body under the Congressional Amateur Sports Act of 1978. Its mission is to encourage participation and promote excellence in sailing and sailboat racing in the United States. US Sailing oversees, administers and regulates all levels of competition in the sport.

On Friday, Feb. 5, the New York Yacht Club and Rolex hosted a luncheon to announce the 1998 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year, an award considered by many sailors and racers to be one of the nation's top sailing distinctions. The recipients of the 1998 award are Paul Cayard and Betsy Alison. Paul, a first-time winner of this award, was the first American to win the Whitbread Round the World Race. Paul describes the Whitbread as a "truly outstanding experience of his life," a race that defines teamwork, comaraderie and male bonding as "going around the planet with 12 guys in a shoebox." The team, sailing EF Language, is recognized as changing the face of the sport of sailing, bringing offshore racing to a broader public through a sophisticated communications network that continuously updated millions on their race progress. They continue to keep the public aware of their racing endeavors. Training in Auckland, New Zealand for America's Cup 2000, Paul and his crew (including Ralf Steitz, local frostbiter), send daily messages from AmericaOne, which has been a source of material for this column. Paul was delighted to hear that Manhasset Bay is following the progress of AmericaOne and accepted your reporter's request to say "hi, and good luck," to Ralf.

Betsy Alison, acknowledged for her various match racing accomplishments in 1998, has won the Yachtswoman of the Year an unprecedented fifth time, having won the award in '81, '82, '84 and '93. Alison won the 1998 International Federation (ISAF) World Women's Match Racing Championship and finished in the top three in each of three other major match racing events. Her performances earned her a number two spot on the ISAF Women's International Match Racing Rankings List. She is the top-ranked US woman match racer. In her acceptance speech, Betsy commented that she "felt fortunate to be here" and was excited to "beat Ted Turner's record" (Turner has won the Yachtsman of the Year only four times). Her goals are to broaden the awareness of the public's perception of sailing, a sport that "you can do forever." Betsy surprised team member Kris McClintock, managing editor of Sailing World magazine, with a Rolex watch for her continuing work as part of Betsy's team.

Some of the previous recipients of this prestigious award include Buddy Melges, Bus Mosbacher, Ted Turner, Dennis Conner, Randy Smyth, John Kostecki, Ken Read, Ed Baird, and Chris Larson. Also, Jan O'Malley, Jane Pegel, Sally Lindsay, Betsy Gelenitis, Wendy Thomson, Danielle Brennan, Julia Trotman, Courtenay Day and JJ Isler.