Swampscott, Marblehead sailors are contenders for prestigious Rolex awards

SWAMPSCOTT-Two sailors from Swampscott and Marblehead are among the nominees for the prestigious 2007 Rolex Yachtsman or Yachtswoman of the Year Awards.College student Tomas Hornos of Swampscott, the reigning Snipe-class world champion, made the United States Sailing Association’s year-end short list for “best of” nominations, as did tax attorney and ISAF Team Race World Champion Lisa Keith of Marblehead.Hornos, a Swampscott High School graduate and currently a sophomore at Tufts University, is the youngest skipper to ever win the Snipe World Championship.Keith graduated from Tufts University in 2001 and was named an Inter Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) All-American that year. She went on to Northeastern Law School and now works as a tax attorney for Deloitte & Touche.A member of the Corinthian Yacht Club in Marblehead, Keith competes as a member of the “Silver Panda” racing team, although the Rolex awards are given only to individuals based on their accomplishments.US Sailing established the yachting awards in 1961 and Rolex Watch has sponsored them since 1980. The awards are widely regarded as the sport’s ultimate recognition of an individual’s outstanding on-the-water achievements for the calendar year.Over its history, the coveted award has been presented to 34 men and 31 women, including these notable sailors who have claimed the honor multiple times: Ed Adams, Betsy Alison, Dennis Conner, Courtenay Dey, JJ Isler, Allison Jolly, John Kostecki, Buddy Melges, Ken Read, Lynne Shore, Jody Swanson and Ted Turner.Hornos captured the Snipe world championship by crossing the finish line first of 57 boats during competition in Leixões, Portugal. He also won the Ned Hay Regatta at Sandy Bay, coming in first of 16 Star-class boats, and the Constitution Cup in Boston, where he placed first of six Stars.The young sailor also won key competitions in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Maryland throughout 2006, aboard Stars, Larks, Laser Radials and 420-class dinghy racers.Keith took home the ISAF Team Racing World Championship after crewing aboard the winning boat in Gandia, Spain, first of 17 over the finish line. She also crewed aboard the victorious boat at the U.S. Team Racing Championship in Oyster Bay, N.Y., the best of 21 teams; the Road Range Wilson Trophy in West Kirby, England, where her boat topped 31 others; and races in Newport, R.I. and Cambridge, again as crew aboard the fastest boat.A panel of noted sailing journalists will discuss the merits of each nominee and vote to determine the winners later this month. The awards will be given out Feb. 29 during a luncheon at the New York Yacht Club in Manhattan, where the winners will be presented with Rolex timepieces.In addition to Hornos and Keith, the nominees for the Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Award for 2007 are America’s Cup Champion Ed Baird of St. Petersburg, Fla.; ISAF Team Race World Champion Clay Bischoff of Coral Gables, Fla. and New York, N.Y.; Pan Am Games Laser Gold Medalist Andrew Campbell of San Diego, Calif.; IFDS Sonar Disabled Sailing World Champion Rick Doerr of Clifton, N.J.; J/22 North American Champion Greg Fisher of Annapolis, Md. And Columbus, Ohio); ISAF Team Race World Champion Pete Levesque of Portland, Maine and Annapolis, Md.; Lightning World Champion Jeff Linton of Tampa, Fla.; ISAF Team Race World Champion Colin Merrick of Portsmouth, R.I.; and Fullpower Melges 24 World Champion Dave Ullman of Santa Ana, Calif..Joining Keith among the nominees for the 2007 Yachtswoman of the Year Award are Princess Sofia Yngling Champion Sally Barkow of Nashotah, Wis.; ISAF Team Race World Champion Amanda Callahan of Canton; Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Champion Emily Dellenbaugh of Easton, Conn.; ISAF Team Race World Champion Liz Hall of Tiverton, R.I. and Washington, D.C.; Lightning World Champion Amy Linton of Tampa, Fla.; IFDS Skud-18 Disabled Sailing World Champion Karen Mitchell of Deerfield Beach, Fla.; Pan Am Games Laser Radial Gold M