National Sailing Hall of Fame Announces 2012 Inductees

The National Sailing Center & Hall of Fame (NSHOF) has announced the nine sailors who will make up its 2012 class of inductees into the National Sailing Hall of Fame. Following a two-month period this spring during which sailors from all corners of the country nominated their choice for induction, a selection committee – made up of representatives from the national governing body, the sailing media, the sailing industry, community sailing, a maritime museum, NSHOF founding yacht clubs and the 2011 class of inductees – reviewed the broad spectrum of nominations.

Inductees are American citizens, 45 years of age and up, who have made significant impact on the growth and development of the sport in the U.S. in the categories of Sailing, Technical/Design and Contributor (coach, administrator, sailing media). Nominations of non-citizens were also considered if they influenced the sport in the U.S., and posthumous nominations were also accepted. The undertaking to recognize Americans who have made outstanding contributions to the sport of sailing is central to the mission of the NSHOF which was formed in 2005 and has completed phase one of its plan to establish a permanent facility on the historic waterfront of Annapolis, Maryland.

Emphasizing the national scope of the NSHOF, the 2012 class of inductees will be honored on Sunday, October 14, 2012, during an invitation-only ceremony at Southern Yacht Club (New Orleans, Louisiana), the second-oldest yacht club in the country.

Canadian native Bruce Kirby (Ottawa, Ontario) has been named as one of the nine sailors who are members of the 2012 class of inductees into the National Sailing Hall of Fame. Kirby, a newspaperman and former editor of One Design Yachtsman (predecessor to Sailing World magazine) is internationally known as the designer of the Laser which is sailed in Olympic competition. Over 250,000 of the one-design single-person boat have been built since the early ‘70s. His designs also include the America’s Cup 12-Metres, Canada I and Canada II, as well as the Ideal 18, San Juan 24 and the Sonar, which is raced in the Paralympics. Kirby represented Canada at the Olympic Games: sailing a Finn in 1964 and a Star in 1968. At the young age of 82 he can still be found racing a Sonar – his favorite of the 63 boats he has designed – out of the Noroton Yacht Club in Darien, Conn.

National Sailing Hall of Fame 2012 Inductees: navigator Stan Honey (Palo Alto, Calif.), winner of the 2006 Volvo Ocean Race as well as the 2010 Trophée Jules Verne for fastest non-stop circumnavigation of the globe; prominent yacht designer Bruce Kirby (Rowayton, Conn.); 1988 Soling Olympic silver medalist, winning Volvo Ocean Race skipper and America’s Cup tactician John Kostecki (Reno, Nev.); and three-time Star Olympic medalist and two-time Star World Champion Mark Reynolds (San Diego, Calif.).

National Sailing Hall of Fame 2012 Posthumous Inductees: Olympic gold and silver medalist Peter Barrett (Madison, Wis.); America’s Cup competitor and journalist Bob Bavier (New Rochelle, N.Y.); preeminent rules expert Gregg Bemis (Boston, Mass.); yacht designer and Medal of Freedom winner Rod Stephens (New York, N.Y.); and founder and first commodore of the New York Yacht Club John Cox Stevens (New York, NY).

About the NSHOF: The National Sailing Center & Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit educational institution dedicated to: preserving the history of the sport and its impact on American culture; honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to the sport of sailing; the teaching of math, science and American history; inspiring and encouraging sailing development; and providing an international landmark for sailing enthusiasts. The NSHOF is partnered with US SAILING and the U.S. Naval Academy, and is associated with the Herreshoff Marine Museum, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and yacht clubs throughout the country in its efforts to recognize role models of outstanding achievement. For more information on the NSHOF, please visit: www.nshof.org

2012 National Sailing Hall of Fame Inductees (alphabetical):
Peter Barrett (Madison, Wis.)
Bob Bavier (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
Gregg Bemis (Boston, Mass.)
Stan Honey (Palo Alto, Calif.)
Bruce Kirby (Rowayton, Conn.)
John Kostecki (Reno, Nev.)
Mark Reynolds (San Diego, Calif.)
Rod Stephens (New York, N.Y.)
John Cox Stevens (New York, N.Y.)