Dawn Riley facts for kids
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 21, 1964 Michigan, U.S. |
| Sailing career | |
| Club | North Star Sail Club |
| College team |  Michigan State University |
Dawn Riley (born July 21, 1964) is an American sailor. She is a very important person in the sport of sailboat racing. She is in three important Halls of Fame for sailing and sports, which is amazing because she is the only person to achieve this! Dawn raced in four America's Cup competitions and two big round-the-world races. She was a leader on Maiden, the first boat in a major race with only women. Later, she led the first all-women's team in the America's Cup. She also started a group called America True Foundation to help young people learn to sail. Since 2010, she has been in charge of Oakcliff Sailing, an organization that helps build leaders through sailing.
Contents
Early Life and Sailing Start
Dawn Riley was born in 1964 and grew up in Detroit, Michigan. Her parents were Chuck and Prudence Riley. She was the oldest of three children.
Discovering Sailing
Dawn started racing sailboats when she was 13 years old. She became a leader in the Sea Scout program at the North Star Sail Club. This club is located on Lake St. Clair. She was also good at track and field. She still holds the Discus record at L’Anse Creuse High School.
Dawn Riley's Sailing Career
Dawn Riley has had an amazing career in sailing. She has broken many barriers for women in the sport.
Racing Around the World
In 1989-1990, Dawn joined the crew of Maiden. This boat was led by Tracy Edwards. Maiden was the first boat with only women to race in the Whitbread Round the World sailboat race. This race is now called The Ocean Race. Dawn was a watch captain, diver, and engineer on the boat. They raced very well and got a lot of attention from the media. This helped more people see women in sailing.
America's Cup Achievements
After the Whitbread race, Dawn competed in the America's Cup in 1992. She was part of the America3 team. She worked in the "pit" area of the boat during the Defender Series. This made her the first woman to have an active racing role on an America's Cup boat. The team's leader was Bill Koch. His team went on to win the 1992 America's Cup.
Leading an All-Women's Team
In 1993-1994, Dawn became the skipper of Heineken. This was another all-women's boat in the Whitbread race. It was the only all-women's boat in that race. Dawn took over as skipper during the first part of the race. She later wrote a book about her experiences called Taking the Helm.
For the 1995 America's Cup, Dawn was the Team Captain for the all-women's team on Mighty Mary. This team was also part of the America3 group. In a very close race, Mighty Mary was ahead but lost their wind. This allowed Dennis Conner to win the race.
America True Foundation
In 2000, Dawn created and led a team called America True. This team had both men and women. Even with a small budget, they surprised everyone. They beat many top teams in different races. The America True team also had one of the first active foundations. This foundation helped make sailing available to more people. It had programs across the United States to get kids who might be at risk out on the water. In 2021, this foundation joined with Oakcliff Sailing. It created a large scholarship fund for young sailors.
Continuing Contributions to Sailing
From 1999 to 2006, Dawn was on the board of the Women's Sports Foundation. She was even the President in 2003 and 2004. She also gives speeches to inspire people. She talks about being a good leader and working well in a team.
In 2007, Dawn continued to work in the America's Cup. She was the General Manager for the French team, Areva Challenge. In 2010, Dawn became the executive director of Oakcliff Sailing. Oakcliff's main goal is to make sailing better in the United States. It is located in Oyster Bay, New York. Oakcliff has over 100 racing boats. It has the largest collection of Match 40 boats in the world.
Awards and Recognition
Dawn Riley has received many awards for her achievements:
- BMW Foundation Young Leader
- World Champion – 2003 One Ton Cup
- World Champion – Women's World Cup 1992
- US Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year 1999
- Michigan State University – Alumni of the year
- Michigander of the Year – 1999
- Inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame – 2023
