The second half of the Rolex New York Yacht Club Race week at Newport promises high class racing action featuring IRC Class boats. The race would be spread over four days with the winner taking home the Rolex US-IRC National Championship, and the respect of their peers.

Rhode Island, the designated venue for the race, is characterized by even sea faring conditions, quiet picturesque locations, disturbed occasionally, by sea gulls swooping on the water for its feed, and vast stretches of cold water of aquamarine blue.   However, the conditions on the final day of the first part of the race week were exactly opposite, characterized by frothing ocean, raging wind, leading to the abandonment of the race, much to the consternation of fans, who were expecting yet another sunny day, clear blue skies, and world class sailing action.

That being said, the first week did offer some vintage sailing action; a pity that the race could not continue towards its logical end. Phil Lotz’s Arethusa took the class honors in the NYYC Swan 42 class, sailing aboard the Arethusa. Incidentally, last the Arethusa won on the basis of cumulative points after the race was terminated because of bad weather.

Like each year, the Rolex US-IRC National Championship attracts some of the best yachts in the business including Ron O’Hanley’s 50-foot Privateer, George David’s 90-foot Rambler, Richard Oland’s Southern Cross 52 Vela Veloce, Dan Meyers’s J/V 66-footer Numbers, and Ray Roberts’s STP65 Evolution Racing.

Ray Robert likens the Rolex US-IRC National Championship as the racing between designers rather than between sailors. Roberts likes the healthy rivalry between the Americans and the Australians in the Rolex US-IRC National Championship. The Evolution features some very experienced names in the world of sailing including boat builder Steve McConaghy, Australian strategist Jamie McFale, and chief sail designer Ben DeCoster and Andy Hudson, who chartered the Transfusion to its second placed finish in the 2010 Rolex Farr 40 Worlds.

IRC 2 will consist of seven boats including the Privateer, Vela Veloce, R/P 55 Rima 2, Farr 60 Captivity, the 52 footer Anema & Core, the 55 footer Sforzando, and the 50 Snow Lion.

The IRC 3 class will feature Phil Lotz’s Arethusa, the winner of the Swann 42 class. The Arethusa does not normally feature in the IRC 3 class; however, Phil Lotz is willing to try the yacht in this class, hoping that the luck holds. The IRC 4 class will feature 8 boats where as the largest fleet will be featured in the IRC 5 class that will feature 10 boats in all including the 48 foot Sloop that won the Newport Bermuda Race’s St. David’s Lighthouse Division.

The fourteenth edition of US Sailing’s 2011 Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship will be held at the Rochester Yacht Club. The event celebrates the can-do spirit of the modern woman, who is not afraid to step into unchartered waters to prove her indomitable spirit.

Sailing competitions in America and in the rest of the world were not considered fit for women until 1985; when, US Sailing and Rolex joined hands to throw open the competition for women sailors. The new competition was christened as the Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship. Twenty five years hence the success of the tournament stands as a testament to the progress made by women over the years.

The Rolex Women’s-as it is fondly called-is a biennial event. It is known to attract some of the most talented sailors in women’s sailing.  The event would be held at the Rochester Yachting club and would utilize the J/22 class keelboat, with each boat suitable for four sailors.

Anna Tunnicliffe, current champion and US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics member, was presented with the highest honor in US Sailing-The 2009 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year-for her achievement in 2009 when she won the 2009 Rolex IWKC.  Taran Teague, chairperson of US Sailing’s International Women’s Keelboat steering committee says that since its inception in 1985 many established female sailors have been associated with the tournament. According to estimates more than 2500 women have taken part in the competition at one point or the other.

Chris Dorsey who is at the helm of the organizing committee says that the members of the committee are pleased to have been given the opportunity to host the important event. Further, the mild weather conditions and the expert supervision of ISAF International Race Officer Hank Stuart will ensure the success of the event. He expected the tournament to feature a record number of entries as the holiday season would not have come to an end by then.

The Royal Yachting committee would be hosting the Hospice Regattas National Championship and the Melges 24 North Americans.  Dorsey believed that they would have plenty of opportunity to hone their skills even further in the intervening period and would be in a perfect position to host the Rolex IWKC championship in 2011.

The Regatta event provides female sailors with the opportunity to fine tune their skills by exposing them to high quality competition along with sailing workshops, mentoring programs-all geared to bring the best out of female sailors.

Rolex also provides skill development programs in the form of Road to Rolex Clinics, as well as mentoring to promising young golfers through the Next Step to Rolex program and the Junior Road to Rolex Clinic.

The Rolex New York Yacht Club Race Week at Newport ran into rough weather ahead of the final day’s sailing activities, forcing the organizers to curtail further the competition. The race was poised for an interesting finish when the skies opened up; the downpour that followed made the sea froth and rage, making it unsuitable for sailing activities.

Since the race could not be continued the organizers decided to announce the winners based on cumulative standing posted.  Damian Emery (Shoreham, N.Y.) skippering the J/105 Eclipse was straightaway catapulted to the top of the table, courtesy his good showing in the competition. Incidentally, he won the 2008 event in similar conditions, when a storm aborted the sailing on the last day. Reminiscing that day, way back in 2008, he said that the storm had come out of the blue and they were totally caught unawares. The raging storm had shredded their sail to bits; however, this time they had sufficient warning before the storm hit the bay, allowing them to take down their sails in time. However, Damian Emery was not complaining, as he took the awards in the Rolex Awards Ceremony, in perfect weather conditions characterized by blue skies and gentle sea faring conditions.

Robin Wallace, principal race officer for the White Course, said that initially it looked as if the storm would blow over; however, the condition only worsened with time, with winds blowing at more than 27 knots. Fortunately, the yachts had their radios turned on, and, were able to return to the safety of the harbor, before the storm hit the seas.

The Eclipse led by master tactician, Dan Neff, knew that the team needed two decent finishes to wrap up the competition they had dominated until then-posting four wins out of the six they had raced. However, they were wary of Joerg Esdorn’s KIncsem, which was perfectly capable of turning the table upside down in the remaining two races.

The 13 boat J/109 class featured closer competition with the Gut Feeling, skippered by Ted Herlihy winning by the narrowest of margins. Second place, Caminos, owned by Don Fillippelli, was just four points adrift of Gut Feeling and Ted Herlihy was worried about what could have happened. Commenting on the racing conditions, he said that breeze dropped to almost negligible, making it almost impossible for Gut Feeling to cross the line. Kristen Robinson, team-member of Caminos said that Gut Feeling out-raced them over six races and the top prize was richly deserved.

Elsewhere, Phil Lotz, skippering the Arethusa, trumped the 15 boat NYYC Swan 42 class, to become the class’s National Champion for the second year running.

Rolex-Official Timekeepers of Wimbledon- has been associated with the game for thirty years now; witness to some memorable matches between athletes who can truly be called giants of their profession: Bjorn Bog, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, and Steffi Graff-the list is endless. The ivy-framed Rolex clocks have become a permanent fixture since then, providing a fitting backdrop for some eye-catching action.

The hallowed center court measures 44 meters by 22 meters and is the only Grand Slam that is played on grass. The fast courts and the heavy balls traditionally favors those with a serve and volley game as is proved by the innumerable number of titles won by Pete Sampras- that superb exponent of the serve and the volley game. However, of late, baseline players have held sway in the tournament due to the closely cropped grass that allows for longer rallies. Better racquet technology and fitter and stronger players has also meant that the volley has been taken out of the game. Wimbledon is a rich blend of heritage and style and the legendary watchmaker tries to imbibe this in each of their timeless masterpieces. Each exquisitely crafted timepiece strives to attain perfection in style and technology without in anyway sacrificing on efficiency.

Like Rolex Watches, Rafael Nadal epitomizes matchless efficiency and grace under pressure. He is one of the players who have the remarkable quality to remain cool under pressure and take uncluttered decisions at crucial moments. This ability to remain cool under pressure has been a feature of his game ever since he made his entry in the men’s game many seasons ago. The Spaniard has become Roger Federer’s nemesis over the years and is the reason why the Swiss maestro has yet to overtake Pete Sampras record for the maximum number of Grand Slam victories.

The 2010 Wimbledon final was characterized by swirling winds that made it difficult for Thomas Berdych to control his flat power packed game. The German hits flat and hard; however, the swirling winds made it very hard for him to control the pace of his shots. The Spaniard’s game plan was more attuned to the conditions. Heavy top spin shots looped in the air to fall suddenly making it very difficult for Thomas Berdych to get any pace behind the ball. The Spaniard has mastered the art of hitting the right shot at the most opportune moment making him a hard opponent to beat in crunch situations.

Thomas Murray, of Great Britain, will attest to the Spaniards tenacity in crunch situations; repeatedly delivering in crucial moments. Murray served superbly in the opening set; however, the moment he put his foot of the pedal-the Spaniard was all over him.

The latest Rolex Rankings reflects the resurgence of American Golfers Cristie Kerr and Paula Creamer, who have managed to steal the momentum from the Asian superstars like Jiyai Sin and Ai Miyazato for the time being. The new ranking issued recently featured two Americans in the top 10-a first in many, many years-silencing critics who have been clamoring long for the next the American Golfing Superstar.

The game of golf requires exquisite timing, loads of patience and of course that elusive, rare commodity called class. Golfing greats like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and many others have done yeoman service to the game and to society by their impeccable behavior on and off the turf. Rolex, watchmakers par excellence, has been associated with the sport for ages, blending its philosophy of matchless craftsmanship with that of the game of golf that requires exquisite timing and grace of its players.

Paula Creamer is one of the many in the long line of players who have graced the game with their matchless elegance and poise. She started out in the professional circuit right out of college, making a name for her playing style that blended power and elegance in equal measures. Her playing style earned her the sobriquet of pink panther for a long time.

Her compatriot and friend Cristie Kerr, 32, has not done badly either; ascending to the top of the Rolex Ranking following her huge win at the LPGA Championship. Her game is built on her impeccable driving and putting ability. At 32, she is at just the right age to peak, having spent years on the golfing greens perfecting her game-building it by bits and pieces to where it is now. Many believe that after Annika Sorenstam and Loren Ochoa she is the best equipped to take over the number one mantle.

The Rolex Number One Position has been held by four different players during this season including Lorena Ochoa (who has since retired), Kerr, Miyazato and current Rolex Rankings No. 4 Jiyai Shin.  The Evian Masters (July 22-25) in France and the RICOH Women’s British Open are high ranking events that hold the key to the number one position.  Rolex Rankings No. 2 Ai Miyazato will be hoping to replicate last year’s success by winning the Evian Masters in the middle of July.  Suzann Pettersen will also make a run for the top position and so will the No. 4 Jiyai Shin.

Na Yeon Choi is another golfer who has been making rapid progress in Rolex Ranking points table. A victory at the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic followed by a tie at the U.S. Women’s Open has seen her advancing through the field to the number six position.

Teenage golfing sensation, Anthony Paolucci, exorcised past demons, and won the Rolex Tournament of Champions with a score of 1 under 287. The hard earned victory came at the Blessing Golf Club, considered by many as the most difficult golfing course in the world.

The win had its dramatic moments though; especially, when Anthony Paolucci mishit his drive into the hazard on the 18th hole, flooding memories of the FootJoy Invitational Tournament, where he had snap hooked his drive into the woods in the final round, resulting in a double bogey and losing by one. The mishit tee shot into the woods brought back the same sinking albeit for a few minutes before the eventual course correction.

Anthony Paolucci said that the FootJoy tournament was at the back of his mind, and he was glad that he came out unscathed.

The Rolex Tournament of Champions was held in sweltering conditions with the mercury touching 90 and above. The conditions at the golf course in conjunction with the weather made it all the more difficult for the golfers to shoot low scores. Anthony Paolucci managed a sub par score of 1 under 287, sufficient to score the biggest win of his career. Patrick Rodgers, who won at the Western Junior, finished two shots behind after scoring a 75.

Commenting on his win, Anthony Paolucci said that he was aiming for a top five position and the win came as a bonus. However, the win did not come easy to the teenage sensation whose three shot lead did not provide any insurance against the vagaries of form. Needing just a solid finish to wrap up the competition-he mistimed his go-to shot badly, landing in the woods. After the search party failed to turn up with the golf ball, he faced the intimidating prospect of a 200 yard fourth shot over a ridge and over a bunker. Patrick Rodgers mulling over a possible birdie on the fairway made matters even worse.

Anthony Paolucci said that the mishit made him focus hard due to which he was able to get over the temporary blimp in form, without harming his title aspirations.  Patrick Rodgers, however, did not have luck going his way; miss-hitting his irons and landing the ball on the bunker. He was unable to redeem the situation from there as his shot barely cleared the lip, ending up with a bogey.

Ruing his missed chances, Patrick Rodgers said that the course was brutal, where even the slightest mistake was severely punished. He congratulated Anthony Paolucci, saying that the teenage sensation richly deserved to win.

Paula Creamer surged to the seventh position in Rolex Golf Ranking after winning the U.S. Women’s Open, widely recognized as the premier-most golfing event in the LPGA calendar.

The victory at the U.S Women’s Open comes close at the heels of Cristie Kerr’s amazing 12 stroke rout at the LPGA Championship, silencing critics who were predicting the demise of Women’s Golf in the United States. The comeback story becomes all the more remarkable as only four Americans have won at the majors since 2005, and no American has headed the money earners list since Betsy King in 1993.

The victory came at the best golf course in the championship, Oakmont, near Pittsburg, characterized by intimidating golfing greens set in impressive and picturesque landscape.  The setting was perfect to establish the Americans on the golfing map, which, hitherto, was dominated by Japanese conquest. This state of affairs was reflected in the Rolex Ranking where only five of the top twenty spots were taken by Americans.

Cristie Kerr’s ascension to the No. 1 position in women’s golf and Paul Creamer’s subsequent win at Oakmont provides a ray of hope to women’s golf in the U.S., struggling to make its presence felt in the United States. According to Cristie Kerr, the victories would give them some breathing space from the constant barrage of questions that questioned their ability to pose a challenge to the Asian superstars.

Christina Kim finished eighth at the Oakmont event, helping her to leapfrog several places on the Rolex Ranking points table. According to her, the event was huge as it proved that the Americans were good to take on the Asian challenge.  The 23 year old golfer became an instant hit after turning pro in 2005, earning the nick name Pink Panther for her aggressive playing style, drawing similarities with golfing legend Michelle Wie. However, she was not able to live up to her early reputation gradually falling behind in the Rolex Ranking. However, she was able to achieve eight victories at the LPGA tournament, before winning the major at Oakmont. Her victory has heralded her as the new face of the LPGA tour.

Paula Creamer received unexpected help from golf legend Arnold Palmer, a Pittsburgh area native, who opined that the secret of winning at Oakmont was to avoid mistakes and concentrate hard.  She took the advice seriously and three putted only once during the entire tournament. Her victory was also due to the sound advice given by Caddie, Colin Cann who advised her to play against Oakmont’s par score and not against her competitors. This strategy yielded dividends as she ended her tournament with three sub-par scores of 70, 70, and 69. Colin Cann was justifiably proud of her achievement saying that Oakmont’s loss was America’s gain.

The 2010 President’s Leadership Awards were presented to Drew Johnson, in boys golf, and Jacqueline Calamaro, in girls golf, in a glittering ceremony at the Rolex Dinner of Champions.

The award, presented by USGA President Jim Hyler and AJGA Board President Gayle Champagne, awards exemplary young athletes who have shown remarkable leadership, character and initiative in furthering community welfare.   The award- a joint initiative between USGA and AJGA-is geared towards building character and leadership qualities among the young golfers- so that they can play a productive role in society.

Drew Johnson, this year’s winner, all of 15 years, richly deserves the award for his exemplary service in the Special Olympics for the last seven years. In addition to the 1000 odd hours of selfless service at the Special Olympics he has also organized a fundraising tournament, raising $23,000 for the Greensboro Special Olympics golf team.

His selfless commitment towards community welfare has not gone unnoticed in the golfing community. Jim Hyler commended the youngster for his achievements, saying that there was much to learn from the youngsters. Congratulating the youngster for his achievements he said that the future had great things in store for the golfer and his selfless service would surely encourage other golfers to volunteer for community service programs.

Drew Johnson credited his parents for his success saying that they helped him to reach his goals. He also said that he would like to give something back to the community and that is why he volunteered to work in the Special Olympics; helping youngsters to reach their goals.

Jacqueline Calamaro has also participated in many altruistic activities in the past, including a Golf-a-Thon which helped raised $7,400 for the First Tee of Philadelphia. The 18 year old girl with her Radnor High School teammates helped raise money for the building of a new practice facility at the First Tee of Philadelphia.

The initiative has continued to draw funds for the program, helping young players, financially, as they learn the game. Jacqueline Calamaro had benefited from the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf Program when she was young and she wants to pass on some of the benefits to the next generation.

Gayle Champagne said that the teenager was a cheerleader in the world of junior golf and her positive spirit inspired dozens of young golfers who wanted to follow in her footsteps.  Going back to when she started the initiative, Gayle Champagne said, she was initially worried about the magnitude of the responsibility, but with time learnt to enjoy her responsibility, calling it a labor of love.   According to her, it was her gift to the game of golf which had given a lot to her, and to her friends in the golf community and her hometown.

All eyes would be on new entrant, South Africa, represented by the magnificent King 40 Tokoloshe, as they take on the might of the established teams in the Rolex Commodore’s Cup, starting in August.

The Rolex Commodore’s Cup will feature eleven teams representing England, France, Ireland, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. The home team, Ireland, is already in the midst of preparations, racing at Cork Week. The other teams also exhibit a settled look, having already decided on their lineup for the upcoming competition. Each team will be allowed three boats in the stipulated rating band.

The racing is expected to be exciting with no quarters given or asked. The teams have already faced off at France and Ireland and the recent showing at Solent has added stature to the event. South Africa will add spice to the competition with their Class 2 Yacht, King 40 Tokoloshe. Mike Bartholomew, South African Skipper, said that they jumped in the fray after Eddie Warder from RORC suggested they enter the competition.

The skipper invited Phil Gutschi and Rick Garratt to the party and the offer was accepted enthusiastically by the two. Phil Gutschi’s Landmark 43, Windpower, will be skippered by Nankin in the Class 1 race and the Class 3 race will feature the J-109, Zelda chartered by Dave Hudson.

The team will also benefit from having a South African Yacht at their disposal. The Tokoloshe has performed with distinction over the last two years at the Solent, putting up a stiff competition against other Rolex Commodore Cup contenders. The crew will consist of local talent in and around Cape Town meeting the strict requirements of nationality.

Mike Bartholomew is unconcerned with the strict requirements of the race, saying that South African team had plenty of experience up its sleeves, with Phil Rick Nankin and Rick Garratt having racked up years of experience sailing on the high oceans.  Phil has campaigned in innumerous events over the last few years and his skipper, Rick Nankin is considered to be the most experienced sea-farer in the squad. All the three boats will race at the Cowes Week, using the event to fine tune their skills for the big week.

The South African team is expected to pool in talent from the Race Ahead program. The program was started by the Hudson brothers to promote racing talent in South Africa. The project, starting out in 2008, has given exposure to young talent in the highly competitive Laser SB3 circuit in UK and Ireland. The results have just started coming in, as evidenced by a top 10 finish at Cowes Week, followed by a class win at Cork Week and a second position at the SB3 World Championship in Dublin.

Mike Bartholomew points out that the South African team will be pressing for a win at the Rolex Commodores Cup.

Eric Lamaze, the Canadian Show-Jumper, regained the number one spot in Rolex Ranking, dethroning the current number one, Pius Schwizer, who had held the top spot since February. Coincidently, Lamaze held the top spot last in February, after which he slipped to second position in February and March, and further down to third, during April and May.

Pius Schwizer, drops down to the second position and reigning European champion, Kevin Staut, moves up one place to third. Rolex FEI World Cup Champion, Marcus Ehning, drops down two positions to finish fourth in the Rolex Ranking. British hopes rest on Ben Maher, who is 15th in the Rolex Rankings.

The Rolex Rankings are updated on a weekly basis; however the rankings are released in the first week of every month.  The ranking points are fiercely fought for as it brings with it unprecedented respectability and fame to the riders. Lately, there was a move to relegate certain events to non ranking events as they did not fulfill the prize money stipulation laid down in the FEI Charter. Some of the riders were disappointed with the new stipulations as it devalued the competition. Due to fluctuations in the value of the currency some European events were upgraded to Rolex Ranking events even though the quality of competition remained poor.

Equestrian sport has been associated with the Olympic movement since 1912 and features various events like Jumping, Dressage, and Eventing. Unlike other events, men and women compete on equal footing in Equestrian sports. The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) has made the welfare of the horse paramount, laying down stringent rules and regulations for the upkeep of the horse; so that, commercial interest does not comes in the way of the well being of the animal.

Rolex has been associated with Equestrian sports for a long time, since 1957, and has supported outstanding sportsmen like Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Isabell Werth at various times. It has also sponsored equestrian events like the CHIO Aachen and Altech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010.

The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), recognized by the International Olympic Committee since 1921, includes 133 National Federations, and is concerned with the making of rules and regulations in the world of Equestrian sports.

The FEI World Cup Jumping event is the premier sporting event in the FEI itinerary, featuring the best riders from preliminary competitions held all around the world. The season culminates in the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final in Geneva, Switzerland, held in the middle of August.

Rolex continues to support the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) entering into a three year partnership, which will run through 2013.  General Alex McLin commented that the partnership had taken the jumping discipline to a new level of excellence and they were looking forward to a long term partnership with the Swiss Watchmaker.