Inaugural AYC Evening of Champions: A Fun Night of Celebration for All Ages

Did you know that AYC members made history in 2019 by winning the US Adult Sailing Championship, the Rolex Fastnet, Transatlantic Race, and Pineapple Cup ocean races as the "Overall Winner"? That AYC Youth sailors won World Youth Champs, a 12 Meter World Championship, and many other events? Did you know AYC had race officials serve as Principal Race Officers at such premiere regattas as Block Island Race Week, Youth Champs, i420 NAs in San Francisco, Orange Bowl... and Umpire at the Match Race Gold Cup in Bermuda, the British America's Cup and International Jury at Etchells Worlds? These were just a few of the many accomplishments celebrated during AYC's first "Evening of Champions" dinner. (Please see slides for AYC's full Year in Review.) A sell out crowd of more than 100 AYC members and guests gathered at the beautiful Sailing Center on Saturday evening, November 16, to celebrate our youth and adult racing achievements, both as competitors and race officials.


Gary Jobson and Event Chair Jenn Wulff

America's Cup winner and sailing legend Gary Jobson served as the Master of Ceremonies, which kicked off with a welcome from Commodore Ellis. The formal evening included videos, a comprehensive "Year in Review" highlighting the many achievements of our youth and adult racers and race officials; a Fleet Award for the Harbor 20s; an Innovation in Racing award recognizing the Annapolis YC 3-2-1 Invitational and the AYC Double-Handed Distance Race committees for their innovative thinking and courage to conceptualize and implement new race formats. Skipper Bill Sweetser, representing the winning "NYYC Great Corinthian Trophy" team (three boats on each team) presented this year's trophy to VC Bartlett. This trophy is not only the oldest Corinthian trophy in U.S. racing history, dating back to the 1800s, it also has significance as AYC teams have won it  nine times, tying for the most wins of any yacht club.


Bill Sweetser and Paul Milo presenting V/C Bartlett with the keeper trophy for the Great Corinthian Trophy

We also awarded AYC's prestigious Chesapeake and Viking trophies for 2019 to Laurent Givry, Jeroboam, for his Fall series and ORC wins.

The evening culminated with a series of 2019 Guest Honorees:


James Golden and Robert Shapiro


Maddie Hawkins and Robert Shapiro

Youth Honorees:
- James Golden (Cressy MASSA champion; National Cressy 2nd)
- Maddie Hawkins (World Youth Champs - i420 Champion; 2x Women's Doublehanded Champion)


Taran Teague with Jake Doyle, John Loe, and Rob Dean (Mallory Cup winners)

US Sailing Adult Championship: Mallory Cup Trophy:
- John Loe (Skipper), Jake Doyle, Rob Deane (crew)


Dave Askew, Gary Jobson, and John von Schwarz

Outstanding Achievement in Racing:
- David Askew, John von Schwarz, and Team Wizard

The Mallory Cup Trophy (dating back to Lord Nelson, circa 1700s) was on display for the event, on loan from US Sailing for the weekend. US Sailing Official Taran Teague introduced the winners and trophy. This year's win was especially historic as it represents the first time any Chesapeake Bay or AYC member has won. Names on the Mallory Cup include such legends as Cornelius Shields, Harry Melges, Ford Hood, Charlie McKee, and others.

We had the honor of celebrating our special honorees Dave Askew and John von Schwarz on their unprecedented 2019 wins in the great ocean races: Fastnet, Transatlantic, Pineapple Cup, and others. They were the first ever yacht to have won overall in the Rolex Fastnet and the RORC Caribbean 600 during the same season. Dave and Team Wizard were recently named the Hempel World Sailing "Team of the Year", Royal Ocean Racing Club Yacht of the Year, and have received a plethora of other awards across the globe. It has been over 20 years since the last American yacht was awarded the Somerset Memorial Trophy for RORC Yacht of the Year. We were fortunate to have Dave, wife and fellow accomplished racer Sandy Askew, crew John von Schwarz, and others in attendance to share their insights and join in this inaugural celebration.

A fun evening was had by the sell out crowd. We invite you to view the "Year in Review" accomplishments and congratulate your fellow members. Look for details about next year's event in the coming months.

We have a lot to celebrate at AYC, from our Wednesday Night and Frostbite Race Series to achievements at the national and international levels, both as regatta hosts and competitors. Congratulations to all our "champions" both racing locally and off the Bay!

More photos from the event can be found on our Racing Photos page.