The year 2003 was a landmark year in the history of Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series and would stay there for years and years to come as it was the season when the much awaited Daytona Prototypes made their much hyped debut on the Rolex Sports Series circuit. As was to become the custom later on, the season started off at the historically significant and legendary Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Daytona Prototypes finally made it to the racetracks. The 2003 Rolex 24 At Daytona witnessed the debut of the Daytona Prototypes with six cars entering the fray for the first time ever in the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series. The six different Daytona Prototypes were in fact representing only five teams and there were only three chassis manufacturers, a situation which in few years to come was to change drastically with more and more teams vying to become a part of the famous racing circuit of the world of motorsports.

The Daytona Prototypes had a very interesting debut, something which was exactly opposite to what everyone was hoping for. Considering the fact that Rolex 24 At Daytona in any case is counted as the most difficult of endurance races, that there would be some initial hiccups was not something that was not a concern from the start, but the way some of the Daytona Prototypes behaved and performed was really unexpected. Darren Law was on the wheels of the G&W Motorsports BMW Picchio which within the first fifteen minutes of the race started facing issues related to overheating. The situation was worse in the case of Forest Barber and Terry Borcheller driven Bell Motorsports Chevrolet Doran which could not survive the rigors of the 24 hours of Daytona racing and barely managed to complete 67 laps at the race tracks.

More was to come as David Donohue and Mike Borkowski driven No 58 Red Bull Brumos Porsche Fabcar even though being the dominating car in the first six hours of racing lost its engine all of sudden. More or less similar fate was in store for the No 88 Ford Multimatic which kept loosing time, every now and then, due to its broken throttle cable. The No 66 The Racers Group Porsche GT3 with an impressive list of drivers like Kevin Buckler, Michael Schrom, Timo Bernhard and Jorg Bergmeister was the eventual winner of the overall honors in the end. The win for the team was made even more important since it also coincided with the 30th anniversary of the 1973 Daytona 24 victory of Hurley Haywood and Peter Greggs. The prestigious first crown in the Daytona Prototype class was captured by the team of David Brabham, David Empringham and Scott Maxwell which raced fast enough to be placed a remarkable 4^th overall in the race.

Another high point of the 2003 Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series was increasing the number of races to 12 and reducing the number of classes to four. For a good part of the season there were only four Daytona Prototypes with the number rising to five in June and seven in August, both times at Watkins Glen. The final race of the season at Daytona had a good ten cars starting the grid. Eventually overall the first season of Daytona Retypes was not exactly the kind of debut season everyone had hoped for but it did build a lot of promise for the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series seasons to come.

Each new collection rolled out by Rolex not only outdoes its rivals but also outshines its previous collections. It is almost as though Rolex is obsessed with perfection, almost as much as the character of Bree Hodge or Bree Van de Camp played by Marcia Cross in the television series Desperate Housewives. Each timepiece manufactured by Rolex is a symbol of perfection and just when one thinks that they have reached their limit, they roll out a whole new collection of timepieces that takes perfection to the next level. The 2009 collection of Rolex features the timepiece Rolex Datejust Royal Pink. This timepiece is a pink version of their existent Rolex Datejust Royal Black timepiece.

Taking perfection to the next level is the beautiful Marcia Cross who outdoes her own performance with each season of Desperate Housewives. Born Marcia Anne Cross, the actress first gained popularity as Dr. Kimberly Shaw on the show Melrose Place. Marcia Cross holds a master’s degree in psychology. She turned her attention towards acting in 1984 with her first soap opera The Edge of Night. Marcia Cross gained worldwide recognition with her character Bree Hodge who is an obsessive compulsive with excellent homemaking skills. She has portrayed the complexity of the character so beautifully that it won her a Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Television Series in 2006 and two SAG awards in 2005 and 2006. She has also been recognized with nominations at the Emmys and the Golden Globe Awards. She also found herself on the list of TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly’s 100 Greatest TV Icons in 2007. After leaving the show Melrose Place that first catapulted her to success she made appearances on shows like Seinfeld, Cheers, Ally McBeal, Spin City, CSI, Everwood and Touched by an Angel. She is currently starring in the seventh season of Desperate Housewives.

The Rolex Datejust Royal Pink is part of the latest collection of Rolex timepieces. The timepiece gets its fabulous pink color due to the use of 18ct Everose gold. The beads of Everose gold have platinum inside which gives the timepiece an everlasting pink color that shall not fade with time. The dial is set with diamonds in a mesmerizing pattern with pink overtones. The hour and second hands too are pink in color. The strap is made of stingray leather and makes for an attractive and cozy fit. The strap is also adorned with brilliants with a hint of pink. The bezel has baguette diamonds set on it. The chronometer is a superlative officially certified by the COSC, a certification that can be earned only if the timepiece displays precision in a variety of conditions even when subjected to tests for 15 days and nights. The Rolex Datejust Royal Pink timepiece has an oyster case back to protect the movement from any kind of pressure, shocks and dust. The entire oyster collection from Rolex is water resistant down to depths of 100m/330 feet. The Rolex Datejust Royal Pink is also part of the oyster collection and displays the same water resistance. With innovations included that guarantee a lifetime of perfect performance, Rolex’s obsession with perfection is a delight for watch enthusiasts the world over.

Taking the initiative taken by Rolex, the number one brand of luxury watches in the world, and United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), which also serves as the National Governing Body for Equestrian Sport, forward the Rolex/USEF Show Jumping Rankings List Guidelines has now been made available online. A move likely to benefit not only the riders but also the fans has been very well received and was in fact long overdue. The move also involves changing the name of Appendix A of what was earlier called the Selection Procedure for CSIO/CSI Competitions to Rolex/USEF Show Jumping Rankings List Guidelines, a more deserving example of the significant role Rolex has been playing in the promoting of human brilliance through its close involvement with the equestrian world. As a matter of fact the change in name and the accompanying availability online are only some of the highpoints of the latest development and there is a lot more to it which is very important and critical for the development, success and popularity of the equestrian events all across USA.

The next major change involves the fact that now onwards only US riders would be eligible for the Rolex/USEF Show Jumping Rankings List, which will not only make the rankings very exclusive but also more competitive and difficult to become a part of. The classes like ‘High Cap’ as well as ‘Low Cap’ have been done away with. There have been changes to the classes which shall be counted towards the prestigious Rolex rankings. Those Derby classes shall be part of the system which make use of a jump-off but only if the height used for the same is at least 1.45 m. Also, it has been decided that now onwards the placing points shall be awarded four placings further to the sixteenth place.

With the relationship between Rolex and USEF getting more strengthened with the each passing year these changes can be expected to make positive difference to the world of equestrian. Rolex has a commitment to the world of sports including the equestrian world to create and build platforms that people use to showcase their talents and also to bring the best out of everyone. It’s the same philosophy of promoting brilliance that Rolex has been successfully realizing through its relationship with the USEF. USEF on its part has been instrumental in on one hand uniting the entire equestrian community and on the other in becoming the guardian of the sport by adopting various methods including honoring the achievements of everyone. Also, USEF is the main body responsible for the US Equestrian Team, right from selecting the members to their training and funding of the entire process.

Rolex/USEF Show Jumping Rankings List is a true representative of the way different riders have performed all along the year in the grand prix events with prize money of more than $25,000 to be won. To make the rankings more effective the ranks from different events are weighted depending upon the quality of the participants. Another relevant feature is the fact that more importance is given to the events which have taken place in the recent past.

Rolex is a name that is associated with elegance, quality and richness. For more than hundred years Rolex has been serving the customers worldwide by providing them with cutting edge quality and fine smooth details. Rolex like its watches has always been the best and believed in the best. Adding one more feather to the cap, Rolex has come up with a silky smooth delight for the ladies, the Rolex Lady Datejust. This watch is a must have in the collection of the ladies who prefer quality, sophistication and unmatched for design over the usual run of the mill watches. This beauty bundled in the form of Lady Datejust is surely well ahead of its times and echoes quality from all spheres.

Just like Lady Datejust another lady who reflects elegance is Robin Wright, the acclaimed Hollywood actress. Robin Wright features in recently released film The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, which according to Robin Wright is a perfect role for her and has given her immense scope to explore her talent as an actress. Robin Wright was born in 1966 in Texas and started her career with the soap opera Santa Barbara which bagged her Emmy nomination. Though Robin Wright has portrayed many faces, she has been immortal in quite a few like the buttercup in The Princess Bride and Jenny Curran in Forrest Gump. Her role as Jenny Curran garnered her nominations for Golden Globe and Screen Actor’s Guild Awards. The calm and composed poise of Robin has mesmerized many in the past and there are many to come up in the future as she prepares for another release to hit the box office.

As best of the both worlds converge, what we get is the Rolex Perpetual Lady Datejust which can take your breath away with the features it has to offer. It has been redesigned keeping in mind enhanced performance and smoother details. The watch boasts of exclusive features like the date calendar with Cyclops magnifier which helps you to keep the track of time as well as the date. Also, the Rolex bracelet is crafted with utmost patience with edges sculptured and smoothened to offer comfort. The clasp of this beauty has been redesigned for easier opening and closing and to ensure smooth working of the watch. As far as the make of the watch is concerned, you can pick from steel or the 18ct white cold. The watch speaks of quality and state of the art design and comes with a chronometer certification. The size of the watch stands at 26mm and a silver concentric dial with sapphire embedded in the watch. The self- winding movement of the watch ensures that you are never late for work. The Rolex Perpetual Lady Datejust is designed specifically keeping in mind the likes and dislikes of young ladies who will have it glittering on their wrists. Once Rolex Lady Datejust hops into your collection, you will have to stop worrying about removing it while going for a shower or a swim as it comes with strong water resisting ability of up to 100m. Rolex Lady Datejust and Robin Wright have surely won hearts of customers all over the world with their elegance.

As another sailing season draws the end the time for deciding the prestigious Rolex Yachtsman of the Year and Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year also gets closer. The award which is the most appropriate recognition for the achievements of the yachtsmen and yachtswomen which they have managed to accomplish throughout the year is one of the most looked forward to award not only among the yachtsmen and yachtswomen but also among the countless fans of sailing spread across the world. The time for deciding who would be the winner of the US Sailing’s Rolex Yachtsman of the Year and Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year awards is drawing close by hours with November 30, 2009 being the date when the nominations for the same would be closed. The time has now come to submit the nominations so that only the most deserving of the lot can be honored with the award that has been the traditional benchmark for judging the best sailor of the year.

The award was established by US Sailing way back in the year 1961 and it attained its present form in the year 1980 when taking its philosophy forward Rolex got involved with the same. The awards are presented to the best performers among the men as well as women sailors in the period under consideration. The Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award is presented to the male sailor who has been outstanding in his on-the-water performance whereas the Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year is for the woman sailor with outstanding individual on-the-water success in the period that has been designated for choosing the awards.

The procedure followed to choose the well deserving winners for the Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award as well as Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year award is also one of the highpoints of the awards and ensures for these the respect due to them. The nominees are determined by the members of the US Sailing through the nomination process which for the present year is going to end on the 30^th of November. The list of nominees is then submitted to the specially chosen panel which includes some of the most accomplished and notable sailing journalists. It’s this group of sailing experts in their own sense who chooses the well deserving winner of the popular awards.

The Rolex Yachtsman of the Year and Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year awards are given to the US citizens only who must be eligible to represent USA in the international competitions. The awards are treated as the true recognition of the efforts and achievements of the sailors, something Rolex has as the core of its philosophy, and in past years have always demonstrated the same. Last year Terry Hutchinson had won the Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award whereas the Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year was given to Anna Tunnicliffe. The competition as always can be expected to be difficult this year too but the way Anna Tunnicliffe has performed exceptionally well all year long and her winning the Rolex Sailor of the Year does make her a clear favorite to win the Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year too.