Bruce Kirby
Bruce Kirby, of Rowayton, 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 known as the designer of the Laser, which was sailed by Darienite Rob Crane in this summer’s Olympic games.
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.
A native Canadian, Kirby previously represented Canada at the Olympic Games, sailing a Finn in 1964 and a Star in 1968. At 82 he can still be found racing a Sonar — his favorite of the 63 boats he has designed — out of the Noroton Yacht Club.
The National Sailing Center & Hall of Fame announced the nine sailors who will make up its 2012 class of inductees earlier this month.
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, yacht clubs and the 2011 class of inductees — reviewed the broad spectrum of nominations.
Inductees are Americans, 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 organization, 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.
The 2012 class of inductees will be honored on Sunday, Oct. 14, during an invitation-only ceremony at Southern Yacht Club in New Orleans, La., the second-oldest yacht club in the country.
Other inductees include navigator Stan Honey of 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; 1988 Soling Olympic silver medalist, winning Volvo Ocean Race skipper and America’s Cup tactician John Kostecki of Reno, Nev.; and three-time Star Olympic medalist and two-time Star World Champion Mark Reynolds of San Diego, Calif.
More info: 2012halloffamers.nshof.org/
