TEAM AMERICA 2012---
“London calling” summers in Weymouth, Portsmouth UK
The state of USA Olympic sailing--
Special Education
Watching the Olympics has been somewhat painful as a US sailor. With just two exceptions, the US Sailing Team has been a woeful disappointment. Despite a loud, expensive, and powerful push by Team Chairman Dean Brenner to focus on finding, selecting and training the best prospects for Olympic medals, the US team's total take in Qingdao will be exactly what it was four years ago: One silver medal and one gold – and only a last-beat hail mary of a shift for Olympic gold-medal favorite Anna Tunnicliffe secured her that gold – at the penultimate mark she looked like the owner of nothing but bronze.
Zach Railey's silver-medal Finn performance was truly outstanding and unexpected, and he's certainly the US's real standout story of the sailing games, while Anna's gold was really a stroke of luck for a girl who'd been kicking ass on the international radial circuit for the past year. The rest of the US field was a comedy of errors: Andrew Campbell's DSQ and subsequent BFD showed his total inability to withstand the pressure cooker of the Olympics, and the USA's other good chances evaporated with a sigh – Tornado stars Charlie Ogeltree and John Lovell blew it before the racing even started with their ugly gamble on the cool-sounding but useless chupacabra sail, and medal favorite Sally Barkow and her Yngling crew choked away their chances in the final race.
The rest of the US sailors were more or less invisible in China, and it may be time for US Sailing to do some serious soul searching. Their Board of Directors signed Brenner to a 4 year extension – through Weymouth – before these Games began. According to the US Sailing website, “Under Dean's leadership, US Olympic Sailing has enjoyed significant improvements in private fundraising and corporate support, which has contributed to increased support for US athletes and improved performance on the water for the US Sailing Team.” Perhaps they're victims of their own hype – but it's hard to see where, exactly, that improved performance went this month.
These Olympians are incredible sailors, and the ones we've spoken to are great people. They are completely dedicated to their sport – but with the resources, size, and number of sailors in the USA, there's just no logical reason for their dismal performance. Perhaps pomme Bob Fisher had it right when he said, “Maybe US SAILING should take a leaf out of the Royal Yachting Association’s book and develop an Olympic squad.”
We spoke to a top Olympic coach today, and he's not sure whether an RYA-style squad is the answer. “In some of these countries, you sign up to do an Olympic campaign and it becomes your life,” he said. “You may need to join the military as part of your training, you might need to sacrifice ten years to be part of a professional-level team, and the loss of your freedom and independence is the price you pay for the improved training and support you get as part of a national system. When US sailors do a campaign, it's their campaign, their challenge, and usually their money. Without major changes to the system, we just won't be competitive with the RYA-style teams – and I'm not sure that we're ready to accept the sacrifice that it will take to get there.”
Will Brenner find a way to spin Qingdao as some kind of success for US Sailing? Probably. Will he admit that his credentials as a Shakespearean scholar, public speaking coach, and failed Olympic trials sailor may not have prepared him for the role of head of the US Sailing Team, or even that he's learned some hard lessons and needs to rethink the way they do things? Refreshing as it would be, we're not holding our breath.
08/20/2008 sailinganarchy.com
What is need NOW--
Zach Railey’s achievement in winning a silver medal in the Finn class after three years of full-time training is impressive, and sets a new bar for American Finn sailors. If Zach can do it, there are several other American Finn sailors who can also do it to with proper training and supportive development. That training and development is expensive, as Railey’s campaign spent about $120,000 a year just to win the Olympic Trials.
USA sailors are expected to fund their own campaigns without help from the USA Olympic Sailing Committee.
So, in order to push Zach and develop a core of Olympic sailors, TEAM AMERICA 2012 will—
• Help promising USA Finn sailors attend the Finn Worlds, Europeans, USA Nationals and North Americans, and training weeks at Weymouth, site of the London 2012 Games.
• Conduct clinics throughout North America to enhance the skills of the Finn fleet in order to develop the level of Finn sailing—a rising tide of sailing skills will benefit those at all levels of the fleet.
• Lobby the decision makers in the USA Olympic Sailing Committee and ISAF to promote the interests of the Finn.
What YOU can do—
You can support TEAM AMERICA 2012 in these ways—
Become a sustaining member and receive our quarterly newsletter, available only by mail. $100/year
Become a Bronze medal member by contributing $500.
(This pays entry fees for two sailors at the Finn World Championships and European Championship)
Become a Silver medal member by contributing $1,000.
(This pays airfare for a sailor to attend the Finn World Championship or European Championship).
Become a Gold medal member by contributing $5,000.
(This funds an American sailors’ expenses to attend a Finn World Championship or European Championship).
Contact TEAMAMERICA2012@yahoo.com to become part of the effort to bring American sailing back!
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