Leadership Award

Betsy Alison Receives Second Annual Leadership in Women's Sailing Award

Betsy Alison, one of the top female sailors in the U.S. and abroad, was awarded the second Leadership in Women's Sailing Award at Sail Expo in Atlantic City Jan. 19. The award, which is given annually, is co-sponsored by the National Women's Sailing Association and BoatUS, the nation's largest organization of recreational boaters.

"The Leadership in Women's Sailing Award is given to a person who has a record of achievement in inspiring, educating and enriching the lives of women through sailing and we are very proud to be able to honor her," said Doris Colgate, president of the National Women's Sailing Association, which conducts Take the Helm seminars for women across the country. "Alison holds 22 national, international and world sailing championships and was named Coach of the Year in Sailing by the U.S. Olympic Committee for her work with disabled, youth and women sailors."

Said Richard Schwartz, BoatUS founder, "Everyone in the sailing world knows about Betsy's incredible sailing achievements, but there may be some people who don't know about her equally important contributions to help others learn about sailing. She has a truly remarkable combination of sailing skills, energy and compassion."

Alison spent several years advising and coaching the U.S. Disabled/Paralympic Sailing Team and just recently led it to a Bronze medal. She has volunteered in designing, promoting and teaching sailing clinics in the U.S., Chile, New Zealand and the Caribbean, and has been actively involved in the National Woman's Sailing Association's AdventureSail program, which helps inner city and at risk young women develop a healthy lifestyle through sailing.

Alison is ranked first in the United States and second in the world in Women's Match Racing, and in June won the BoatUS Santa Maria Cup for the second time. Her current goal is to win an Olympic medal in the new women's keelboat discipline in the 2004 Games in Athens. She won the ISAF Women's World Match Racing Championship in 1998, the silver medal in 1999, and the bronze medal in 2000.

The selection committee for the Leadership in Sailing Award included Colgate; Elaine Dickinson, managing editor of BoatUS Magazine; Gail Hine, director of the Southern California Yachting Association's Women's Sailing Convention; and Becky Squires, director of public relations at BoatUS.