USA: Onward toward Los Angeles 2028

It was a bumpy build-up for the US Olympic Sailing Program toward the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The Executive Director of the program resigned February 2023, with a replacement hired December 2023. There was a lawsuit filed by US Sailing against its largest private financial supporter which extended from January 2024 until it was settled in May 2024 . All the while, athletes were to be selected and prepared for the Olympic competition.

With Paris 2024 now completed, US Sailing offers this open letter to its friends and supporters:

It is with deep pride and gratitude that we reflect on the outstanding efforts and achievements of our athletes at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Our team of 13 American athletes in nine classes demonstrated immense skill, determination, and sportsmanship, and we are thrilled to celebrate their journey and accomplishments.

We commend the entire US Sailing Team for their dedication and hard work throughout the Olympics. They have shown great resilience and passion, making all of us proud on the world stage.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Ian Barrows (St. Thomas, USVI) and Hans Henken (San Francisco, CA) for bringing home a Bronze Medal in the Men’s Skiff (49er) event. This is the US Sailing Team’s first Olympic medal in sailing since Rio 2016 and this remarkable achievement is a testament to their exceptional talent and perseverance.

We also celebrate the top 10 finishes in hydrofoiling equipment of Daniela Moroz, Markus Edegran, and Noah Lyons in the Formula Kite and iQFOiL classes. By placing fourth, ninth, and ninth respectively in newly debuted or revised classes, they have demonstrated that the United States is on the leading edge of the innovative direction of the sport.

Also joining the top 10 was Erika Reineke in the ILCA 6 and Stephanie Roble and Maggie Shea in the 49erFX, placing ninth and tenth respectively. All three athletes demonstrated noteworthy performances throughout their events to break into the elite medal races; a first Olympic appearance for Reineke and a return Olympics for Roble and Shea.

Paris 2024 was an undeniably pivotal moment for Team USA. Our Team left Marseille with a Bronze Medal and sailed in the medal races in six of ten classes – the best results over the past four Olympiads (including London 2012). The athletes performed with heart and took the field each day ready to push their limits with relentless pursuit of their best. It was inspiring to watch their commitment and determination as they represented their country, those who came before them, and the generations to follow.

The achievements of these exceptional athletes are a source of inspiration for sailors across the nation.

Behind the Scenes of the US Sailing Team
The success of the US Sailing Team is a result of extensive efforts and resources. Over the past year, we have made significant improvements to enhance athlete performance.

This includes raising funds and investing $5M over the past year in team development, supporting coaching for each class and Olympic athlete with more than 40 coaches and support staff, and using cutting-edge technology like weather prediction and data analytics to help athletes make informed decisions on their equipment and race strategy, supplementing what they feel in the boat with numbers and evidence.

We sought out physiotherapy and sports psychology programs to ensure care for the whole athlete, both on and off the water. The logistics involved in transporting equipment, securing a training base in Marseille, and providing meals, accommodation, and infrastructure for the Team on the ground, highlight the complexity of our operations.

In the lead-up to Marseille, we made a concerted effort to focus on reducing distractions for our athletes and ensuring that all the “little things” were addressed to lighten their load so they could focus solely on their performance.

Perhaps the athletes say it best:

• Maggie Shea, Paris 2024 & Tokyo 2020 Olympian, 49erFX:
“I am so genuinely and deeply excited about the future of the US Sailing Team because the leadership is huddling around the athletes in a way that I’ve never experienced before in the last 15 years of my involvement with the Team. I’m so excited to see what this new group can do. I have never felt more taken care of and looked after than we have these last few months in Marseille. All we had to do was eat, sleep, and sail- and that, as an athlete, is the dream.”

• Hans Henken, Paris 2024 Olympian and Bronze Medalist, 49er:
“It felt like we were one big Team all in it together both in the lead up and during the Games. It all ran so efficiently, and we were able to focus on sailing because of staff who were willing to do all jobs no matter how small. And it was so comfortable at the base that we actually preferred to be with the team instead of waiting at the village- we could come down and hang out, eat food, and be close to our boats in a really professional and seamless setup. It was a private space for the Team where we could get away from the busy boat park, but it wasn’t forced. It was all natural and we wanted to be there with our teammates and the staff.”

• Erika Reineke, Paris 2024 Olympian, ILCA 6:
“To the US Sailing Team & Team USA, thank you for all you do for us athletes. There is no doubt in my mind that we had a winning team on the ground in Marseille. Everything from support with rules from Dave Perry, nutrition from Shelly Guzman, Physio from Chris Ellis and Alex Milian, doctor accessibility with Reese and Kevin O’Donnell, media from Allison Chenard and Lexi Pline, boat repairs from Andrew Brennan, and data analysis from B Lindsay was incredible. I can’t thank Marcus Lynch, Sally Barkow, Kate Drummey, and Tina Cardamone enough for leading this effort.”

• Daniela Moroz, Paris 2024 Olympian, Women’s Kite:
“This year it’s really started to feel like a Team. Everyone worked super hard and brought out the best in each other, and it was a really positive environment from the base to the team house for dinners. No question or task was too small for staff and coaches, and I always felt like I could talk to anyone about whatever I needed. I really felt a change in the last year, and I can’t wait for it to continue to build on itself for LA 2028.”

Leadership and Improved Foundation
In addition to the new High-Performance leadership at US Sailing, our achievements are set to reach new heights, thanks to the promising talent emerging from our rigorous training programs.

The staffing additions of Phil Muller and Rosie Chapman have supercharged our efforts to prepare youth for transitions to full-size Olympic equipment and international competition. Muller, who joined US Sailing as Youth Performance Manager in September of 2023, is a five-time coach of the USA Team for the Youth Sailing World Championship and was named US Sailing Development Coach of the Year in 2020. Chapman signed on in April 2024 as the new Olympic Development Program Manager, coached the Youth Worlds team to back-to-back gold medals in 2017 and 2018, and was awarded National Coach of the Year in 2018.

Bringing home three Bronze Medals and having seven teams place in the top six in their fleets at the 2024 Youth Sailing World Championships, and four additional top ten finishes in Youth European and World Fleet Championships, further underscores the positive impact of these changes.

With new high performance training camps that assemble top-tier young talent from across the nation, we are increasing our commitment to the foundation of high-performance sailing and investing in the future of high-performance sailing in the US.

US Sailing and Gender Parity
Paris 2024 made history as for first time in the modern Olympic era, the Games had gender parity among athletes, with equal medal opportunity for men and women. Sailing was no exception, having added the Men’s and Women’s Formula Kite events and shifting the 470 to a mixed event to achieve equality on the water.

Acknowledging Supporters and Partners
While we are at the center of these efforts, we could not have achieved this without the unwavering support of our donors, partners, corporate sponsors, and supporters.

We extend our deepest gratitude to the USOPC for their support and confidence in our path. We also thank our major donors, including The Schoonmaker Foundation, Brian Keane, Roy Disney, Malin Burnham, Don Wilson, Glenn Darden, Mary Lattimore, Henry Brauer, Cory Sertl, key anonymous donors and thousands of others, whose generosity has been invaluable.

We recognize the contributions of the Sailing Foundation of New York, America One, St. Francis Foundation, and the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation, for their support in helping American sailing athletes succeed.

The early improvements we have made are just the beginning. The great team culture we are developing, combined with the exceptional talent and dedication of our athletes, makes us incredibly excited for the future. Our success is a collective effort, and we are grateful for the support from our partners and the entire US Sailing community as we now fix our eyes on Los Angeles 2028.

Sincerely,

• Marcus Lynch, US Sailing Team High Performance Director
• Richard Jepsen, President, US Sailing Board of Directors
• Alan Ostfield, CEO of US Sailing

Editor’s note: It is rumored that Alan Ostfield is no longer with US Sailing.

Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing Program:
Men’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 7
Women’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6
Mixed Two Person Dinghy – 470
Men’s Skiff – 49er
Women’s Skiff – 49erFX
Men’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class
Women’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class
Men’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL
Women’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL
Mixed Multihull – Nacra 17

Venue: Marseille, France
Dates: July 28-August 9

Details: https://paris2024.sailing.org/