Winners of the annual Southam Awards for excellence in sailing communication were announced by Sail America Marketing Committee Chairperson Sally Helme during the Miami International Boat Show Press Breakfast.

Winning and accepting the $5000 cash grand prize was Paul Lagasse of Silver Springs, MD, whose article, "Taking It To the Wind" beat out 89 additional entries in a variety of categories. His story, published in Recreation News with a circulation of 110,000 comprised of federal, state and municipal employees, best met Southam award criteria which include "a welcoming and positive portrayal of sailing, reach to a non-sailing audience, encouraging participation in sailing, and taking a unique approach to the topic. "

"Mr. Lagasse not only addressed several preconceived notions associated with sailing, but actually described the wealth of options for lessons and rentals in the mid-Atlantic region," said Sally Helme, chief judge. "He provided a relaxed, straightforward and non-intimidating introduction for would-be sailors and covered costs, course details, time requirements for various commercial and community sailing schools in the region. Ultimately, he provided a sense of confidence for readers to try sailing for themselves."

The Southam Awards are named in honor of John Southam, former publisher of Cruising World and Sailing World magazines, who played a significant role in the growth of Sail America. This year, the Southam Awards program garnered 90 entries, the second highest in awards history, ranging from small community newspaper articles to major broadcast coverage with 110 million households, for a total of 208,715,241 media impressions. In addition to the grand prize, judges selected five additional category submissions for cash prizes totaling $10,000.

In the Adventure Category, "The Science of Sailing" captured the $1000 win, produced by National Geographic Channels International with a worldwide audience of 110 million households. Hosted by Tracy Edwards, this exciting kick-off program to the National Geographic series on the 2001/2002 Volvo Ocean Race focused on sailing mechanics and technology. In addition, two honorable mentions were also included in this category: "Fast Forward," an article by Sarah Deem about the world's fastest sailboat that was featured in Popular Mechanics magazine with a reach to nine million readers; and "To Survive," written by Alvah Simon about exploration and sailing, which appeared on the Travel Channel with 61 million household viewers.

Winner of the Magazine Category is Michael Verdon, whose article, "The New Wave of Fast, Idiot-Proof Boats," was published by Men's Journal magazine with a 650,000 circulation. Verdon's article showcased four entry-level boats from $2500 to $5500 and included summary information on each model, photographs, contact information and influential editorial regarding the ease of sailing today, thanks to an innovative and affordable new breed of rotomolded sailboats.

New for Southam in 2001 was the division in the popular newspaper category according to circulation, providing an additional category for judging. In the Newspapers Under 100,000 Category, the winner is Ann Chandonnet whose article, "Youths Learning on the Water," was published in the Juneau Empire with an 18,000 circulation. Chandonnet's article covered junior sailing classes and created a very positive image of sailing as an affordable option for youth and adults alike in this Alaskan community, with an emphasis on fun and safety.

In the Newspapers Over 100,000 Category, the winner is Kristin Dizon whose article in the 170,000 circulation newspaper, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, featured "Gone With the Wind - Learning to Sail Can Carry You Away." Dizon's first-person experience was the lead story in the "Getaways" weekly outdoor section insert, offering an inviting description of adult sailing instruction that was geared to a very hip and recreationally focused Seattle audience.

"We were very pleased by this year's rich field of entries and the positive portrayal of sailing in many areas of coverage," said Helme. "The quality of submissions was simply outstanding and we are excited by the resulting sailing press we've enjoyed as both a sport and a lifestyle on the national level, as well as in important regional markets. We're gratified by the response of journalists throughout the country to the Southam contest and look forward to working with the media to mutual benefit in the future as it relates to continued sailing exposure."