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Deceased , Modern
Frances
Wakeman
Frannie
1913 – 2005
A four-time winning skipper of the Adams Cup (1935-1938), a prolific judge, and the namesake for three major championship events, Frances “Frannie” Wakeman was not only an ardent supporter of women’s sailing, but she adamantly supported the efforts of all sailors, encouraging them to compete while championing their cause with firmness, fair play and great understanding. She had a particular desire to recognize sportsmanship and to emphasize the pleasure of competition for sailors. As one of the dominant female sailors of the 1930’s, her years sailing for the Adams Trophy (the women’s national championship at the time) are especially notable. In the history of the Adams Trophy four skippers have been particularly outstanding, winning this championship at least four times, but Frances remains the only skipper to have won it more than twice in a row. Frances, Katherine (Katy) Johnson, and various crew won in four consecutive years: 1935, 1936, 1937 & 1938. Frances also won the Massachusetts Bay Championship for a 5th year in a row in 1939 (the George Hills Trophy), and continued to race competitively, winning the Wells Bowl at Edgartown in its first year, 1948. The Wells Bowl is an open 210 regatta each year —Frannie remains the only woman to have won this trophy in its 63-year history. Her husband, the late Samuel Wakeman, a very competitive sailor in his own right and Commodore from 1957-58, recognized his wife’s skills as a sailor as superior to his own: “My wife is a far better skipper than I am,” he once said. “When she’s at the tiller, I raise and lower the sails.” Accomplishments and Awards *Note: Below is a description of the medals arranged in the case with Frances in the photo above * Obituary of Frances Wakeman, written for the Boston Globe in 2005 (pdf):Wakeman, Frances Boston Globe Obituary
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