Michelle Slade

The St. Francis Sailing Foundation is proud of its grantees, past and present, and all that they accomplish, paving a way for other sailors. Former StFSF grantee, committee member and Olympian Helena Scutt is just home from what she describes as a “time-of-my-life year.” Here, Scutt reflects on the challenges and the joys she experienced sailing with the first-ever US Women’s America’s Cup Team and as a Mechatronics Engineer for the US AC team, American Magic.

Just before the US America’s Cup women’s team geared up to sail the AC40 on their own, after months of simulator training at American Magic’s Barcelona base, a crew shuffle occurred. Their designated on-water training slot, from mid-June to mid-August, didn’t work for Steph Roble’s Olympic campaign or Anna Weis’s SailGP commitments, so Louisa Nordstrom joined the team and the work began. Training in Badalona, 30 minutes away from the American Magic base, there was plenty to do to get up to speed, literally, on the AC40.

“Initially time was spent learning things like safety training,” Scutt explained. “We had a bunch of sessions in the pool learning how to use the spare air, how to crane the boat in and out of the water, how to step the mast on the boat, even before we got to go sailing.”

Olympian Helena Scutt with American Magic team-mate with fellow Olympian Erika Reineke. Credit: Courtesy HScutt

With just nine weeks of training available, the main constraint on their sailing time—and common across all the teams—turned out to be battery life. So many of the vessel’s systems are automated and heavy use—such as anytime the sail or traveler were adjusted significantly or the autopilot trimmed the foil flaps—left the batteries drained in an hour and a half. And when conditions were rough, more energy was consumed.

“We felt very time-constrained because not only were our sailing days limited and shared with the youth team, but on any given sailing day we had two sets of batteries so only about three hours of sailing to split between the two teams,” Scutt said.

During the Women’s America’s Cup regatta, Scutt was an alternate trimmer and made keen observations from the coach boat. Wanting to avoid wasting valuable battery life plus the uncertainty of when officials would start a race, there was sometimes as few as five minutes to warm up before a race sequence began, she noted.

“You needed a carefully planned strategy not just for your approach to the start line, but the overall choreography required getting there so that you could minimize your maneuvers and time the approach to the start correctly. It was a massive learning experience on all fronts.”

Scutt notes that the AC40 is challenging to sail if you’re good, but really challenging to race and sail well.

“The AC40 is challenging to sail if you’re good, but really challenging to race and sail well.” Quote & credit: HScutt

“The boat can be relatively stable in a straight line, but then add all of the settings to manage, the maneuvers, the boundary racing, and the speed at which things happen with other boats on the course—it’s hard to appreciate the complexity of the boat until you have sailed it,” she said. “Each of the four people on board directly affects performance. They have to be so in sync with each other.”

Scutt added, “I was super impressed with all of the women’s teams, especially with the two finalists. It was also incredible what the invited teams accomplished with so little time in the boat. That was a huge task—they were allotted just four days before the event, I believe, two of which were either too light or too windy.”

About the two finalists, the highly polished Italian and British teams, Scutt commented that it was notable both were comprised of skiff sailors, and had the benefit of skilled leadership.

“The racing is a lot like skiff racing; both teams had clear leaders with Hannah Mills (GBR) and Giulia Conti (ITA) who have done at least three or four Olympics each,” Scutt noted. “It showed, together with their solid team culture, they were truly racing the boats and picking up on the shifts before other teams. I think these elements were a huge part of their success and will only become more important.”

Scutt has not had much personal time on the water this past year so she's embracing her next adventure: the Moth Worlds in New Zealand in January.

“I am really excited to go Moth sailing where I still have so much to learn in that class,” Scutt enthused. “Sailing the AC40 really makes you appreciate the whole team that’s involved, from the boat builders to the electronics experts and more, and it makes me appreciate sailing my Moth and being independent. Sailing is very cool because of both those experiences—there is nothing like sailing an AC40 over 40 knots with three other people, but there is also nothing like having the mainsheet and tiller in your hand and doing your own thing. I like both sides of it.”

Donations to the sailing athletes and community programs that the Foundation supports are possible through funds raised at StFSF’s Annual Auction, scheduled for March 25, 2025, with Paul Cayard as Honorary Auction Chair. The largest contribution to the Foundation came from the estate of member and Staff Commodore Tom Allen in his trust. Please consider a tax-deductible gift to the St. Francis Sailing Foundation in your will or trust. If you or your attorney needs information, call Treasurer Greg Meagher at 510-541-2543.

Pam Healy  won a bronze medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, in the 470 class together with JJ Fetter. She learned to sail growing up in the Bay Area in her yellow El Toro named “Woodstock” alongside the likes of sailing legend John Kostecki at the Richmond Yacht Club where she met her husband, Craig Healy. She joined the St. Francis Yacht Club as a Junior Member in 1983 and In 1983, she joined St. Francis Yacht Club as a Junior Member and she has been nominated for the role of Rear Commodore in 2025.

Healy is a member of US Sailing’s Board of Directors and took on the role of Organizing Authority for the domestic Trials in Miami which occurred this past January and February. Her responsibility was to report to US Sailing and the USOPC (United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee) to ensure the Trial events were held at USOPC standards. She also organized the 68 volunteers for the January Trials and 45 volunteers in February, crucial to the Trials’ success. With the Paris Olympics done and dusted, as well as the past few years of upheaval at US Sailing, Healy reflects on the recent Olympic quad with a view to LA2028.

JJ Fetter & Pam Healy: Bronze Medalists & great friends

“Working as the Organizing Authority for the domestic Trials was a 2-1/2-year project for me and I didn’t realize how much work it was until it was over, I was buried!” laughs Healy. “We brought in people from all over the country  and involved as many women as we could; I was really proud of how many women we had on the water running races. It was great to learn who can really handle this kind of regatta pressure and who is ready for LA2028, because we’ll be needing them; we really have a talented group of people in this country who can do this work.”

Healy commented on the success of running domestic Trials for the first time in many years.

“There is an argument for domestic Trials and having everyone meet the pressure of just that one competition,” notes Healy. “I saw how high the pressure was; the fleets were small and the competition really unforgiving. It was beneficial for the athletes because they had never sailed like that before. It’s a little exclusive to have the Trials abroad because you won’t grow the depth in a class – you’ll end up with just a handful of decent sailors. For example, in the 470 class there are a lot of kids who are young and who don’t have the funding right now, but they were at the Trials earlier this year giving everyone a go-around at the marks, they weren’t far off the pace, but they would never have been able to go to abroad to race an Olympic qualifying series.”

These past Games have been the first time since her own campaign, other than helping her husband with his 2000 Olympic effort in the Soling, that Healy has been involved in Olympic sailing although she has been instrumental in assisting with the Olympic Development Program over the past years. Healy’s good-humored observations of how different the experience was back in her day highlights how much easier it should be for athletes competing at the elite level today.

“Sailing competitors today may think a campaign is so much work and so much time; looking back, we did not have half of the amenities and resources they have available to them now like cell phones, cash machines, or even Google!” smiles Healy. “We would arrive in Europe and our boats wouldn’t be there; we wouldn’t know when the container was arriving. Competitors today just have so much more communication available to them. Fundraising has been facilitated by social media which athletes can take advantage of and can appeal to people who know little about sailing to donate to their campaigns. It was also more difficult for women when I was campaigning; women expect to be treated differently today as they should be, and there is a difference in the way that their male counterparts treat them, it is much more respectful, and you never hear any undertones of inclusiveness.”

As a spectator this year and with no official duties, Healy got to enjoy the Games alongside many friends in Marseille supporting Team USA, as well observe the positives that will serve future US sailing athletes rolling into LA 2028.

“It was heart-warming to see so many St Francis Yacht club members in Marseille supporting our sailors,” says Healy. “While the racing wasn’t too exciting to watch because there wasn’t much wind, there were many USA fans and family members rallying and supporting their athletes. I was impressed to see in action that the athlete voice is top of mind and that’s how the USOPC wants it, as it is in all sports. US Sailing is coming out of the dark ages on its approach to elite sailing competition and acting in the best interests of the whole athlete. I wish our sailors had done better this year, but I feel good about how the program worked, how the support systems worked and the communication. They were united and had an amazing collective experience, great team cohesiveness.”

Nonetheless, it is no secret that there is room for improvement in order for US sailing athletes to do well in 2028, and Healy places an emphasis on working together and training as a quad as key components for success.

“Leading up to the Trials I saw how the 49er class was excellent at working together as was the iQ Foil class; sailing together, sharing information, sharing settings, and talking to each other,” says Healy. “You have to rely on your teammates, and you have to make each other faster. It was impressive during the Trials watching Charlie Mckee (coach to bronze medalists in the 49er Ian Barrows and Hans Henken) gather all the 49er sailors around a picnic table – they wouldn’t talk about who tacked on who or who won the start, they talked about what each other’s’ settings were, how they were approaching the race etc. I also see it in the ILCA 6 class where there is a nice women’s quad developing. Naturally, in the last couple of months you are allowed to be selfish and on your own program but we’re not going to get the best result as a country if we don’t all work together. Everyone needs to be of that frame of mind, you have to buy into the whole program and be part of the US Sailing Team. We have good potential in some classes, but success can’t be achieved in a vacuum.”

On Healy’s wish-list for LA2028 is to see the positive energy generated this year in Olympic sailing continue to gather momentum and focus on a full team effort because as she well understands, thinking you can win at the Games all by yourself is unrealistic.

“Seeing everyone work together, get behind our representatives on the team and ensuring that we get some top finishes in the classes where we are strongest, that would be so great for our program,” comments Healy. “I think we can do it in several of the classes with everyone working together. There is a ground swell happening within the ODP under ODP Manager Rosie Chapman’s direction and everyone involved feels like they are part of a movement, part of a culture. If you get second in the Trials and the representative gets a medal, you know you are a piece of that medal; let’s bring back that national team spirit!”

Pam Healy is a board member of the St Francis Sailing Foundation (StFSF), and her Olympic sailing partner JJ Fetter sits on the Foundation committee. StFSF was proud to assist recent Olympians including club members Hans Henken, Daniela Moroz and Markus Edegran with fundraising in this past quad. Donations by the Foundation are possible through funds raised at STFSF’s annual Auction which is scheduled for March 4, 2025.

The largest contribution to the Foundation came from the estate of member and Staff Commodore Tom Allen in his trust. Please consider a tax-deductible gift to the St. Francis Sailing Foundation in your will or trust. If you or your attorney needs information, call Treasurer Greg Meagher at 510-541-2543.

2024 has been a busy year for 24-year-old Charlotte Rose campaigning the ILCA 6. While she missed out on an Olympic berth (it went to Erika Reineke), Rose took all she could from the experience and is folding that into her game plan for LA2028. Recapping her recent successes, Rose took silver in the 2024 World Championship, bronze in the 2024 US Olympic trials, and gold at the 2024 French Olympic Week, impressive results which position her well for her next moves.

Reflecting on her observations of the summer Olympic Games, Rose was mostly interested in what was going on behind the scenes and the mental approach sailors needed to get through the racing in Marseille.

“There wasn’t much watching but a lot of waiting because there wasn’t a lot of  wind and it was interesting to home in on not so much the sailing part but the athletes’ mentality and behind the scenes,” says Rose. “The Olympics seem like a massive show put on by NBC every four years and it highlighted for me a lot of things that we will not usually experience at a regular regatta like the race course and format of racing being changed to suit the broadcasting; the Lasers would usually do outers or inners yet they were sailing windward leewards twice around which is not a usual track for the class. There seemed to be a lot of distractions that were hard to control; helicopters above, cameras on the boats, and sailors whose events were after the start of racing couldn’t get out onto the course to continue to practice. What I took away from all of that and what I really want to work on is paying attention to myself and if there is noise, knowing I can deal with it so it just becomes a small annoyance over time; minimize the noise and do everything in my power to manage that which I can control.”

Rose is taking some much-needed time out partly because there are not a lot of high level regattas post Games and also just to take a break. She is putting energy into planning things she would like to do differently as she moves into her second Olympic quad; working on budgets and raising money are on that list. She notes that she didn’t have the kind of preparation going into Paris 2024 that she better understands now is crucial.

“Four years seems like a long way but I’m excited to make sure that all the pieces I wasn’t able to set in stone during the last quad are in place,” says Rose. “I came from college onto the circuit – I had just two years, and it was like, go, go, go all the way to the end. I didn’t really have any preparation beforehand; most of it was knowing I didn’t have any money to do it, I didn’t know how to campaign or do sponsorships or go fundraising. I’m building that foundation, making sure I have everything that I need and want to get out of this quad. Obviously, things won’t go super-smooth, there will be bumps, but most of it I will feel good about, and while nothing is for sure, I’ll be able to fall back on plans I am making now.”

Asked whether it was a positive or negative to have missed out on Paris 2024, Rose thought for a few moments.

“That’s a good question, I guess yes and no,” smiles Rose. “So much was compromised for the sailors and all athletes, the media was crazy, there were issues with food for the athletes, some countries including the US brought their own air conditioning units because the organizers didn’t provide A/C in the athletes’ accommodations but at the same time, it was interesting to learn from Marit Bouwmeester and how she uses data on the racecourse, which I have not really been doing.”

Bouwmeester, the most decorated female Olympic sailor with four medals across her career, has been an important influence on Rose’s sailing career. Rose sailed with Bouwmeester the past three summers and was impressed how the Dutch sailor separated herself from the noise during the Games.

“Sailing is such a dynamic sport that you don’t really know what is going to happen, but Marit blocked out the noise and stuck with the routine during the racing,” says Rose. “Marseille was a left-hand racecourse if you look at the trackers. Maybe some right would come in and those were the lucky people. So, it was 80% the left would work and 20% the right would work; Marit was going with the higher percentage move even if she rounded 14 or 15 because that is still a great score to have. She had all that data and the confidence to go with it. It worked for her, and I don’t think she got worse than a 15^th which is an amazing score to have at the Games. I haven’t been keeping track of data or numbers, I kind of know what is likely to happen but one of things that I really want to change in the next quad is keeping track. I was in Long Beach for ten days this summer and kept tracked of all the days – the wind direction, wind strength, the trends etc., so that I can build a toolbox; during the Games, I will have all the data re what is most likely to happen and I’ll be able to play off the higher percentages.”

Rose has enjoyed working with coach Alex Saldanha whom she’s had great results with; going forward, she’s all for building a team to help her achieve her goals.

“I don’t think a one coach approach is one I will stick with for four years, it will be a team effort – the more people I have in my circle the better,” says Rose. “There is not necessarily one person out there who is super technical, super good on speed, really good on race coaching, and you never know, I may need a match race coach if we have domestic trials again. This time around it will be a big team effort which I am really excited about and I’m already excited about the support that is coming through behind the scenes.”

Meanwhile, on her time out, Rose is spending her spare time with family which she doesn’t get too much during a campaign, and becoming excited about Long Beach and LA2028.

“I got burned out over the summer trying to continue sailing and pushing so hard so it’s nice to be taking it easy for now,” says Rose. “My day to day focus is on fitness, I started with a trainer here in Houston which I really enjoy. I hope to start spending more time in Long Beach from now on, especially over the summers. Long Beach, Calif., as a venue is beautiful, it will be so much nicer (than Marseille). I’m excited about the next four years. Really excited!”

Charlotte Rose is a grantee of the St Francis Sailing Foundation: https://www.charlotterosesailing24.com/

Images: Courtesy Lexi Pline/US Sailing

The largest contribution to the Foundation came from the estate of member and Staff Commodore Tom Allen in his trust. Please consider a tax-deductible gift to the St. Francis Sailing Foundation in your will or trust. If you or your attorney needs information, call Treasurer Greg Meagher at 510-541-2543.

“I think the most meaningful thing about the NAs was that it was the biggest regatta that we have won together, and it came down to the last race, it actually came down to the final run of the last race. Whenever you are having a competition that is that intense, it’s exciting, it’s exhilarating, it makes crossing the finish line that much more of a big deal. To share that with Danny was very meaningful.” – Paul Cayard

Star Olympian (2004), Paul Cayard has been successfully racing the two-person dinghy since his late teens, and since 2015, he’s been occasionally racing the boat with son Danny as crew. They recently conquered the Star North Americans, hosted by the Newport Harbor Yacht Club, with a dramatic end going into the 8th and final race where just two points separated the top three teams: Cayard/Cayard, George Szabo/Guy Avellon, John Dane/Dave Martin.  After a tight battle for most of the race, it was only in the final leg that the Cayard duo moved ahead and clinched the win.

“The race itself required me to use a lot of my experience, we were a little slower than George but we had a better start so we match-raced him a bit to keep him behind us and that pushed both of us down in the fleet a bit,” Paul says. “We had to be in the top seven to have a chance at winning because George’s worst race was a seventh. We got back in there at about 12^th, we were fast downwind so we were able to stay with them and even stretch a little then start working through the fleet. Combining all of that and to have Danny sail with me in that situation where we had to use our experience and then to win it on the final run was all just super special and something we’ll never forget.”

Growing up in the Cayard household among sailing champions (grandfather Pelle Pettersson was also Star world champion and two-time Olympian in the Star), Danny felt the pressure but as he’s developed his own competency in sailing and a healthy respect for the accomplishments his forebears have brought to the sport, the younger Cayard is making his own way in sailing and enjoying every minute of it. He didn’t race competitively as a kid until high school – he went to Marin Catholic (Greenbrae, Calif.) where there was a sailing team, and got asked if he wanted to join. A lacrosse player in grade school he had free time until spring and found he really enjoyed being on the sailing team. He and his dad started sailing Stars together in 2015 which was the first summer Danny crewed for Paul, racing in the summer series in southern California. Since then, their regular gig has become the Star Vintage Gold Cup sailed in early fall in Michigan which they sail on their classic wooden Star boat Gem IX, winner of the gold medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

“It’s fun to race against each other, obviously dad is who is and very successful, I can’t compare myself to him ever and I don’t ever try to!” Danny laughs. I’ve grown up with the expectations and for my mental wellbeing, I just have to separate it a little bit but it’s all good! The Star class is amazing, I love the technical aspects of the boat and the ability for almost anyone of any age to be able to be competitive. It’s always been a family, and everybody is super helpful and welcoming, and they just know that I am me and not my dad!”

The Cayard father-son sailing dynamic was not a given thing as Paul recalls.

“We came from a place where the dynamic was much more difficult when Danny was in high school doing high school racing,” Paul recalls. “It was hard for him to have me coach him or give any suggestions but he’s 35 now and there is a good healthy respect there so I think he looks at it more like an opportunity to get some good results, have fun and sail with his father at the same time. We really get along really well on the boat, there are no difficult moments. I was impressed, he does a great job with crew work. In the NAs we had a couple of very tight roundings where we had to get the pole down and get the mast back, get all the sails in and get around the mark. Danny did it better than the other crews around us so it was just clicking.”

The recent North Americans was the perfect training platform for the Cayards leading into the Star Worlds hosted by the San Diego Yacht Club September 4-13.

“The whole NA week was great, we had tempered expectations because our weight was light together – about 40lbs underweight,” Danny notes. “But we sailed smart and pretty quick in whatever conditions were around, adjusted the rig and sails best we could to try to be dynamic on the boat to make up for it. It’s always a great time to sail together, we have a lot of fun, we’re competitive, and we did well!”

For the Worlds, Danny has partnered with Will Stout, and Paul will race with Frithjof Kleen. It will be the first time Danny has crewed for somebody else in the Star where he will be racing against his dad.

“Will and I have had a couple of days together getting used to each other and setting up the boat the way we both like it,” Danny says. “Will has done a lot of work in the last couple of years to get the boat the way he likes it so he’s done a lot of the legwork for straight line speed. We’re very competitive on the weight front so that’s helpful when you get up into the no wind range to be able to keep the power and move the boat forward. We definitely have a good set up – he’s a heavier skipper and I’m a little lighter so that helps and will be an advantage in lighter air.”

San Diego is the venue that has hosted more world championships than anywhere else, and commenting on the line up for the Worlds, Paul notes that the anticipated light air will favor some competitors for sure.

“Piet Eckert from Switzerland will very good and will be difficult to beat, he is sailing with Frederico Melo from Portugal who is also good, Tom Lofstedt from Sweden is good, and he could be good in light air.  Ante Razmilovci from Great Britain won the Etchell Worlds a few years ago – he’s pretty fast and can be dangerous, and Jørgen Schönherr from Denmark is good for sure. From the US, Eric Doyle is going to be good, as will Brian Ledbetter and Will Stout. George Zsabo is racing from his home club and he’s very good in that light air. John Dane III is amazing; he is 73 and almost won the North Americans, he’s very fast. It’s a good group plus you have people around the event who are lifers like Dennis Conner who is hosting various events during the Worlds, Malin Burnham is having the mid-week party on the Midway, both long time Star sailors.”

Paul concludes, “In a series like this you want to be consistent and you need to have speed; in a 65-boat fleet, you have to be able to hold your lane, you’ve got to come off the line and be fast or else you’re just going to get flushed and you’re going to be 30^th at the first mark. Starts are very important and you have to have speed, you have to be consistent, no black flags, and no major screw ups.”

Paul Cayard is a member of the advisory board for the St Francis Sailing Foundation.

The largest contribution to the Foundation came from the estate of member and Staff Commodore Tom Allen in his trust. Please consider a tax-deductible gift to the St. Francis Sailing Foundation in your will or trust. If you or your attorney needs information, call Treasurer Greg Meagher at 510-541-2543.

Images: Courtesy Star Class

Chatting with Hans Henkens a few days before the first race with partner Ian Barrows in the 49erFX at the Paris Olympics, Henkens commented, “In a lot of ways, the work has been done. There isn’t any cramming that needs to be done, or to turn over that last stone, or try to look for some magic formula. We have exactly what we need to compete, we have exactly what we need to succeed. We’re focused on keeping fresh in the boat, staying fresh mentally and just going through all our routines and sticking to it, not being too dramatic or trying to change anything. We will sail every day like I know we can, that doesn’t necessarily mean that we have to be winning races or doing incredibly well in every race every day. If we can do that every day of the regatta, I think we may find ourselves in contention for a medal towards the end.”

PARIS 2024 Olympic Sailing Competition. © Sailing Energy 30 July, 2024

Prophetic as those words were, it was the pair’s methodical, consistent approach that led them to a podium finish and a bronze medal.

“I think the first emotion was utter disbelief, we knew we could do it, we have worked incredibly hard for the past four years, we had made the goal of winning an Olympic medal, so when we crossed that finish line and Ian said, “We just won bronze, it was an unbelievable feeling and I don’t think I could ever possibly put into words how incredible it made both of us feel, it was pretty surreal,” Henkens smiled. “It still feels unreal, it still feels like a dream. I feel like I’ve been living someone else’s life for the past week. I feel amazing, I feel really lucky, and really accomplished and that’s a great feeling to have.”

Barrows concurred, “We were ecstatic, we were really proud and happy to represent our country, we felt incredible.”

Going into the competition the pair racked up a couple of high scores and the pundits were curious as to how they would recover. Barrows noted that their starts weren’t great at the beginning of the regatta although they were sailing the boat really well. Day three was pivotal.

“We had some really good comebacks, we finally got a top five and from then on we had really good starts, we felt really confident although the conditions were mostly light, shifty and puffy, you had to have your head really out of the boat and be ready for anything,” Barrows commented.

PARIS 2024 Olympic Sailing Competition. © Sailing Energy 02 August, 2024

“We always had huge faith in our team, and I guess a pivotal moment was day three when we took a lot more risk and executed well to get some good scores on the board,” Henkens said. “We agreed that day we weren’t even close to peaking yet, we were still building. We made that our new mantra for the last two days – we’re still building, we’re not going to peak until the very end, we’re going to peak in the medal race and give ourselves a chance at that medal. That’s exactly what we did. Another thing that described our belief system throughout this entire event was that we kept telling ourselves that we had to manifest it, we had to think the medal into existence; think it, say it once, then go do it. I think that played a really big role in our success.”

Exhilaration to indescribable disappointment were the overarching themes in the first ever Men’s and Women’s Kite Medal Series at an Olympic Games, Markus Edegran finished in 9th overall, and Daniela Moroz took 4^th. Edegran is relatively new to the discipline and cited his biggest asset going into the Games as his diverse sailing background across many classes. He opened his semifinal race with a port tack start along with Great Britain’s Connor Bainbridge. Edegran made a beeline out to the right side of the course and was leading the fleet until a crash took him off his board and dropped him back to 4th for the remainder of the race and a 9th overall result.

Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing in Marseille, France on 8 August, 2024. (Photo by World Sailing / Lloyd Images)

“It was tough,” said Edegran. “We didn’t get much racing in but I got a couple of top three finishes including a second so I can be super proud to know that I have the skill set to compete at the top of the Olympic fleet. I met my first goal of making the medal series, but I know I have it in me to be on the podium. I’m proud of my climb in the months leading here and proud of a solid performance at my first Olympics, but I’m hungry for more. I’m super grateful to the US Sailing Team for the support here on the ground and to my community back home who’s backed my efforts to be here. Representing Team USA this week has been an honor.”

As six-time world champion and four-time Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, Moroz is no stranger to the highest level of competition in Formula Kite Foil. In an event where just six of sixteen races scheduled in the opening series were actually raced due to light conditions, Moroz clocked up the fastest speed during the Olympic racing and won two races, including the semifinal where she needed one win to advance to the finals. Moroz beat Switzerland’s Elena Lengwiler in the semis; the Swiss kiter fouled Moroz and received a scoring penalty. Lengwiler was thrown out, and it was a ticket to Women’s Kite Finals for Team USA, joining France’s Lauriene Nolot, Great Britain’s Eleanor Aldridge, and Annelous Lammerts from The Netherlands.

The finals got underway as the breeze faltered. Aldridge won the first race which stalled Nolot from taking the gold medal and kept the game on with another race for women’s finals. In order to medal, Moroz needed to finish ahead of Dutch sailor Annelous Lammerts in the second race but came in just behind her in 4th overall and after a port starboard penalty on Nolot was handed to Moroz at the first top mark.

Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing in Marseille, France on 8 August, 2024. (Photo by World Sailing / Sander van der Borch)

Unfortunately, the umpires failed to see Moroz protest Lammerts in the final race for a port starboard foul when Moroz was on starboard (as can be seen in video replay on NBC/Peacock). The final result: Great Britain’s Eleanor Aldridge in first, France’s Lauriane Nolot in second, and Lammerts in third.

“It’s been a really difficult few days and I’m heartbroken and disappointed, it hurts a lot, and it will for a while,” Moroz said. “This sport is both beautiful and ruthless, and as athletes we chase the highs but risk the lows that are part of the journey. I’ve said plenty of times before that I practice conscious gratitude for those highs and lows, and this is now my ultimate challenge. I respect the process of this competition and want to extend my sincere congratulations to Ellie, Lauriene, and Annelous who have shown me friendship on and off the water in this epic lead up to get here together.”

Aldridge posted about Moroz, “You’ve been an amazing competitor and friend all the way through these years. The strength and depth of the women’s kite foil fleet wouldn’t be where it is now without you, the OG legend! I hope you can be proud of the journey; you are amazing.”

Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing in Marseille, France on 4 August, 2024. (Photo by World Sailing / Lloyd Images)

Moroz, 23, concluded with her characteristic grace and positive attitude, “I know I had the best team out there with me, on shore, and my family and friends at home. This result does not take away from how proud I am of the program we put together to represent the Stars and Stripes on the water. Go Team USA, forever and always. This is only the beginning, and there is a lot ahead #LA2028!”

The largest contribution to the St Francis Sailing Foundation came from the estate of member and Staff Commodore Tom Allen in his trust. Please consider a tax-deductible gift to the St. Francis Sailing Foundation in your will or trust. If you or your attorney needs information, call Treasurer Greg Meagher at 510-541-2543.

Redwood High School (RHS) sailors Mark Xu, Akira Bratti, Rhett Krawitt, Henry Vare, and Morgan Headington finished sixth in a fleet of eighteen national high school teams competing in the recent 7th Annual Phebe Corckran King National Memorial Championship invitational regatta. Hosted by the Annapolis Yacht Club and the Severn Sailing Association, the Stony Brook Bears representing The Stony Brook School (NY) took first place.

After a short postponement on Saturday, June 1^st, the A Division sailed in FJs, followed by the B Division in C420s. Winds in the morning were light and variable, ranging from 2.5 knots to 4 knots when racing started. Later in the afternoon, winds increased from 6 to 12 knots, and plenty of daylight allowed for twelve races for each division on Saturday. Short races made the starts crucial to stay competitive.

Sunday’s races were on C420s and started early in the morning with Southwest winds of 6-10 knots. Weather was cooler in the low 70s, cloudy with high humidity. After the first set of races the wind took a 90 degree turn to the south bringing a steady breeze of 12 to 15 knots. The sailors finally got a chance to hike and sail fast, having a great time on the Chesapeake Bay. The conditions/venue were tough to stay in a good rhythm.

RHS Sailing Team Coach Dan Brandt traveled with the team to Annapolis and coached from the shore for two days of racing in front of the US Naval Academy. “There were a lot of unknowns and new variables we had to manage, and the team did well with that,” he said. “We had more great moments than not great moments.”

While in Annapolis, the team met with local sailors originally from the Bay Area and also got the chance to tour the Maryland State House and the US Naval Academy. With blue skies and temperatures in the mid-70s, graduating Senior and Team Captain Morgan Headington competed in his final High School Regatta. His teammates will return next year to defend their place in the Nor Cal Championships and hopefully earn another chance for a podium spot at Nationals.

The regatta marked the first time that RHS had competed at the Phebe Corckran King event after winning a spot to compete when they took the NorCal Divisional Championship earlier in the spring. RHS also become the first name on the new Northern League Championship Trophy that was presented at this year’s NorCal Divisional Championship.

Headington’s mom Kerry, is an avid supporter of the Redwood High School sailing team, and junior sailing. She said, “As an educator, I think a key take home from this event is how important it is for the Bay Area high schools and yacht clubs to support high school sailing — both for the kids and for the Bay Area sailing reputation. I am a big supporter of High School Sailing because it builds camaraderie and school spirit for kids, and it is one of the ways to increase diversity in our sport.”

Thanks to Kimball Livingston, St. Francis Sailing Foundation, the Belvedere Cove Foundation, Encinal Sailing Foundation, Richmond Yacht Club Foundation, and the Peninsula Youth Sailing Foundation for their support. – Source: Kerry Headington/Carl Krawitt

Having a custom board built by good friends and hand-delivered by her dad to her in Marseille is just the most recent display of commitment and support by the community that has been behind Moroz for as long as she has been on her journey to the 2024 Olympic Games. With the start gun for the first-ever Olympic race in Women’s Formula Kite Foil less than eight weeks away, there wasn’t a moment to lose when last month Moroz knew she needed to switch out the boards she was using in favor of a design that promoted a more stable board. She asked her dad to reach out to Kenny Adgate, a Bay Area family friend whose wing foil boards are renowned among the worlds’ best wing foilers, to make her a board. The project became a family affair with Kenny’s wife Judie stepping in to color the board.

Loving her new board, Moroz has her sights set on the 2024 Olympic podium.

“I thought it would be a cool thing to do and we’ve come up with a significantly more stable board for Daniela,” Adgate said. “ A more stable board will offer her a less turbulent feeling and hopefully improved mental confidence as far as going faster – she’ll be feeling less vibration, it’s less input to your body which is sometimes better in certain situations.”

Kenny started making boards after his friend Mike Zajicek, owner of Mike’s Lab and another well-respected designer and manufacturer of foil systems who also resides in the Bay Area began making foils for kite foiling. Back then Zajicek’s foil systems utilized tuttle boxes which few board companies were using so Kenny decided to make a few boards that could use Mike’s foils, referring to them as pocket boards – very small boards – for kiting. When winging developed (Adgate, Johnny Heineken and Zajicek were among other San Francisco Bay kiters and wingers who lead the charge globally on the nascent wingfoil sport some six years ago), Adgate started building wing boards.

“We were using three-fin race boards when we all started winging and decided to make wing boards to go with Mike’s foils – it became more of an addictive hobby more than anything,” Adgate laughed. The time was during Covid, so Adgate had plenty of hours to experiment.

It takes about twenty hours to build a board from beginning to end although technically it is longer because there are a lot of different drying times with epoxy; it takes about twelve hours for the epoxy to cure. But, more than that, in the instance of Moroz’ board, the process was nerve-wracking, Adgate admits with a smile; after all, it will be the board that she races on in her first Olympic Games.

Adgate and Moroz have ridden a lot together, so he had an idea of what she wanted, and Moroz was able to give Adgate a board to base off in terms of what she liked.

The Phoenix underway in the Adgate’s garage.

“We’ve made enough race boards in the past so we have a really good idea of what they should ride like and be shaped like. It did help to have something that she preferred so I could take some measurements off that and make sure that the length and width were really similar so it would feel natural to her when she hopped on it for the first time, and it sounds like it was! Nonetheless, it was more about just not failing for her,” Adgate acknowledged. “I was really stressed out about making her a board which she would really like. There were a lot of WhatsApp messages back and forth trying to get everyone on the same page!”

Adgate got Heineken involved to help with the decking and foil box locations.

“Johnny has so much knowledge with that kind of thing which really helped make sure measurements were correct; the right height of the board is really important for racing,” he said. “There are certain styles of racers who like their front foot higher than the back, or level, so there are all different kinds of angles that each rider prefers so getting that measurement out of her team was important. Thinking through the stability improvement was a challenge as the technique I wanted to use was one that has not been done before but it ended up working out really well.”

Dad heads to Marseille to deliver Phoenix 1 to his champion daughter

Vlad Moroz, Daniela’s dad, has been best friends with Zajicek since they found each other windsurfing at Berkeley Marina after immigrating from the Czech Republic in the mid-80s. Zajicek switched to foil production ten years ago and Moroz has won many of her six World Championship titles using Zajicek’s foils.

“Being involved in this has been especially important to me because she is the daughter of my best friend,” Zajicek said. “I’ve known her since she was a baby, I watched her learn to windsurf – which she had no interest in – but by the time she was ten, kiteboarding did interest her. This board is special because she was able to get exactly what she wanted from Kenny, and yes, we were messaging many times a day while he was building it!”

Adgate added, “It’s awesome to have Mike to call on as far as the construction side goes, like what to reinforce for example, to make sure he thinks it is going to work.”

Mock layout before paint application.

Judie did the color for the board; she suggested a patriotic design incorporating the stars and stripes and colluded with Moroz on design.

“We went back and forth on different design ideas then I got to work on the coloring to get it to as close as I could to what Daniela wanted – thankfully I hit the nail on the head!” Judie smiled. “I used primary colors and sometimes it is challenging using ombre (the art of blending one color hue into another). Daniela wanted to go from a very light blue to a very dark blue on the board. It’s all hand-painted – I mix the colors and when it’s time to apply the epoxy we put the epoxy into the actual paint. It’s very time consuming and you have to be quick – you have about 15 minutes to put it on the board otherwise it turns to gel, and you can’t ombre it – if only you could have heard Kenny and I anxiously trying to get it right!” Judie laughed.

Moroz was thrilled when Kenny agreed to make a board for her, trusting that he would do an amazing job, so it felt like the right decision to try one of his boards, which she has branded the “Phoenix.”

“My gut feeling was really pushing me to try something new with the design that had never been done before and Kenny, taking all of my preferences into account, executed it flawlessly! And then riding it for the first time and seeing it actually worked – it was incredible.”

To have the opportunity to build boards for Daniela at this point in her campaign is pretty special, Adgate acknowledges.

“It’s an honor for sure, it’s so cool, to have her on something that she wanted to ride, and I was able to build it in my backyard! A lot of really talented people ride my boards and it’s an honor every time I see someone on one of my boards.”

And, just this week there is a second Adgate board on its way to Daniela in Marseille (she had to return the boards she was riding to her former board sponsor in June). The second board is designed with different specs to accommodate a different foil set – it’s a completely different board shape in terms of the rocker side of it, Adgate noted. He got all the necessary specs from Moroz, Heineken got involved again on calculations, and board two was delivered to her training partner Evan Heffernan in Santa Barbara just days ago who will fly with it this week when he travels to join Moroz in Marseille.

Moroz’ board crew celebrate the completion of Phoenix 1. Center with board Kenny Adgate, to his left Mike Zajicek, seated in red is Judie Adgate.

“It must have been a difficult and huge decision for her to switch out boards at this stage of the game as the sponsor provides up to three boards a year for free, but in her mind, it was the right decision,” Adgate said. He continued, laughing, “I want to say she’s probably going to call me again to get another one – I’m on board production standby! But anything to help her out, her family and the supporting crew around her. It’s an awesome place to be around here when so many people want to help her so that she has the best opportunity to do her best.”

“My team (Chris and Tucker) also worked with Kenny, Johnny, and Mike on these boards,” Moroz said, adding, “They’re the best in the world with this stuff and to have a board that was designed and made at home in the Bay Area feels really special. It just means the world to me to have all of their support behind me going into the Olympics and I’m really proud to be able to represent the Bay Area in this way.

###

Daniela Moroz Receives Team DeAtley Grant at St Francis Sailing Foundation Annual Auction.

Fundraising was not something Markus Edegran felt comfortable with going into his 2024 Olympic campaign. Edegran, who will represent the US at the Paris Olympics in men’s Formula Kite Foil, had some experience in fundraising through corporate sponsorships but felt uncomfortable raising funds from personal contacts.

Edegran will represent the US in the Men’s Formula Kite Foil.

Ensuring he had the funds to see him through was a constant challenge over and above the general rigor of an Olympic campaign. It was not only a surprise but a welcome gift when he became the recipient of a $25,000 grant from the Team DeAtley fund awarded to StFYC member athletes competing at the Olympics.

“It’s been amazing to have the support from the St. Francis Sailing Foundation from the start of the campaign,” Edegran said. “The DeAtley grant will help me pay off some of the expenses I have accumulated this year as I fought to qualify the country this spring and will also help towards ensuring I am as competitive as possible at the Games.”

A StFYC member and St Francis Sailing Foundation committee member, Beth DeAtley initiated the Team DeAtley fund in honor of her late husband Dick  DeAtley, who was active in the yacht club and was planning to  donate funds to the sailing community before his untimely death in November 2017. The first round of funds was given in 2020 for the Tokyo Games to StFYC member athletes Riley Gibbs, Anna Weis, Luke Muller, Paige Railey and Nikki Barnes who each received $25,000 as StFYC members competing in the Games. More recently, recipients have included Daniela Moroz, Hans Henken and Edegran who have also each received $25,000 for the 2024 Games.

“I wanted to support our Olympics sailors so that they can be free to train without the hindrance of constant fundraising,” DeAtley commented. “It is a lot of fun and I love corresponding with the members of the team, following them as they move along. I have learned a lot through our discussions and have great admiration for the talent, training, and overall determination it takes to be an Olympic sailor. I’m very proud of them.”

Edegran added, “It means a lot to have this level of support coming from a member of the club where I started this journey. I’m super proud to represent StFYC and everyone I have shared the water with off of Crissy Field.”

Moroz with Beth DeAtley at StFSF Annual Auction Fundraiser.

Moroz; 6x Formula Kite Champion, 4x Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, who will represent the USA in the women’s Formula Kite Foil at the 2024 Olympics received her Team DeAtley grant at the Foundation’s annual auction fundraiser event last fall. Moroz echoed her gratitude for DeAtley’s generosity as she shared with event guests the challenge of balancing high-level training with fundraising and running their own operations.

“Beth’s support of the Foundation has made the road to Paris smoother for me and other sailors representing the US at the Games,” Moroz said. “We are so very grateful for her generosity and I am proud to be part of Team DeAtley.”

###