2017 Herreshoff Award Presentation - Hunt and Betsy Lawrence

Hunt and Betsy Lawrence (New York, NY) received the prestigious Nathanael G. Herreshoff Trophy for their outstanding contributions to the sport of sailing. The Lawrences were instrumental in their financial support for the fleet of Olympic-class boats that were used at the Olympic venue in Rio for over two years to help train American athletes. Having access to these boats provided an important edge for Team USA as they prepared for the 2016 Rio Games. Oakcliff, a high performance training center, was founded by the Lawrences in 2010 and was named a US Sailing Team National Training Center in 2013. Oakcliff acquired multiple fleets of these Olympic-class boats that were used for training and racing in Oyster Bay and around the world. These boats were also used around the country for Olympic Development Program camps over the past two years, and helped many top youth athletes train and expand their skills.