The 2024 US Olympic Team Trials
Just 10 days ago, USA 450 placed 6th at the US Olympic Trials. We sailed in a fleet of eight boats for 21 races over the course of eight days.
The first day of the regatta brought light wind with an aggressive sea state causing multiple boats to capsize. USA 450 was at the bottom of the leaderboard by the end of the first day. Though disappointed with our opening performance, we knew we could sail better and focused on preparing for the following day of racing.
Day two's conditions brought a much smoother sea state with some fresh offshore wind. All focus was on the quickly moving gust behind us as we rounded the first mark of the day with a significant lead on the entire fleet. With the boats behind us bringing more pressure we entered a gybe that ended in a capsize. Despite the dramatics of the first race of the day, our next two were much stronger - we felt the boat was going quickly upwind and put together our two best results of the event.
Day three was a turning point in the regatta. The strong wind and heavy sea state made it clear who had the gold fleet experience. USA 450 struggled to get the boat moving upwind but made up several points on the run riding some epic waves. By the end of the third day, the fleet had three teams that were deadlocked in points while the rest started to fall into line.
The 49er races were canceled due to hazardous conditions on the fourth day. The race committee held one race on day five in very light and shifty conditions, which caught some teams off-guard. Days six and seven were long with four races each. Three races were held on the final day as the race committee successfully made up all scheduled races.
Over the week we showed moments of brilliance. Ultimately, the best sailors found their way to the podium and we couldn’t be more proud of their achievement. Congrats Ian and Hans, you are the best America has and we know you’ll leave it all out there at the games this summer! While this means that our dream of the Paris Olympics will not become a reality, we are honored to have sailed with Team USA, and we hope that our dedication to excellence can help our teammates reach new heights.
Our gratitude for the support from our family, friends, sponsors, and coaches cannot be overstated. With your support, we have had the privilege to learn and compete at the highest level of sailing in the world. Thank you for believing in our dream.
Thank you to the foundations that made it financially feasible to travel and compete in breathtaking venues across the globe. The Torch Lake Sailing School Foundation got us started, the Annapolis Yacht Club Foundation kept us going and the Pontiac Sailing Education Foundation helped us finish strong! A big thanks to the Oakcliff Sailing Foundation for helping us with our super coach Sweata Shervegar. Her efforts on and off the water were integral to our performance at the trials.
For almost three years, we have completely committed ourselves to the physical and mental development involved in skiff sailing. Now is our time to reflect on the lessons we have learned to help advise our future. We are excited to keep you updated about what is on the horizon!
