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The St Francis Sailing Foundation caught up with Laser Radial sailor Erika Reineke, recently back from training and competing abroad. The 24-year old is feeling pretty dang good about life after taking gold in Japan at the Enoshima Olympic Regatta: “Even though peaking for this event wasn’t the goal of the trip – it was to familiarize with the venue – I was very happy to come home with gold!” she said. “It was an incredibly amazing feeling to win a championship at the venue where the Games will be held in three years.”

Erika’s tour started in Barcelona, Spain, at the Radial European Championships where she finished in 6th place. “The venue was absolutely beautiful with sunny skies and big swell every day,” she described. “The regatta was particularly challenging because of the top-level competition and for a few of the days, the swell was so big that it was impossible to see the pressure on the water. Sometimes the fleet was completely hidden in the troughs of the waves.”

She had a somewhat unique experience while in Barcelona as the Catalonian political movement to become an independent country was in full force: “The streets were filled with protesters all day and night. Racing was canceled on the first day of the regatta because the Race Committee decided to protest in the streets instead of run races.”

From the Europeans, she flew to Gamagori, Japan for the first regatta of the 2018 World Cup Series where a series of typhoons put a literal damper on racing. “The weather was not as beautiful as Barcelona however the Japanese people left their mark on me,” Erika commented. “They were so kind and always willing to help. As I wandered lost and confused through the train stations, so many people offered to help me get to where I was going. It was nothing like taking the subway in New York City, where people just walk by without a care in the world.”

After a week-long regatta of gray skies and rain, a good result in the Medal Race moved Erika up to 5th place to finish off the World Cup Event. The US Team continued its stay in Japan, taking a six-hour bus ride from Gamagori to Enoshima and Olympic Week which concluded the 2017 season. Her plans over the next few months include hitting the gym hard until the Miami World Cup Event in January. She’s grateful to everyone who has supported her journey thus far, with a special call-out to the St Francis Sailing Foundation: “Thank you again to the Foundation for their interest in my dream of gold at the 2020 Games and continued support as these results would not have been possible without their help!”

About Erika

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Graduated from: Boston College in 2017 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Geoscience.

Grew up sailing: In an Opti at Lauderdale Yacht Club on the Atlantic.

Knew early on that she wanted to sail at a high level: “I was exposed early on to elite athletes through my diving, swimming, volleyball and sailing coaches, and was positively influenced by their infinite amount of passion and drive. I saw their medals and I wanted what they had. By age 12, I knew I wanted to be an Olympian and the only way that was going to happen was if I committed to becoming a student of the sport.”

Why the Laser Radial: “People always say sports are a game of inches and the physical aspect of the Laser Radial epitomizes that. It is the slowest, most physically demanding boat that gives such little reward in the end for all the effort you put into it. In other words, you hike so hard only to gain a few boat lengths. As a result, pushing through the physicality of the boat becomes a mental game. I fell in love with the combination of the physical and mental aspects of the boat because, to me, this is what the Olympic sports are all about. Sheer grit.”

Favorite places to race: Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; and Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Favorite training partners: Her sister Sophia Reineke, and Pernelle Michon. “ I have the most fun with them and they are great sailors and competitors. Surrounding myself with people who love the sport as much as me can only lead to a fun time on the water.”

Next big event: Miami World Cup Event in January: “I am so excited to sail in my home state!”

What it will take to win gold in Japan: “Having fun while giving it my all the next three years.”

When she’s not sailing: “I love to spend time enjoying life with the people I love. My best friend and little sister, Sophia, is the best thing in my life. Our actions and laughter might not make sense to other people but we understand each other completely.”

On inspiration & motivation: “You are only given one shot at life and I believe that I am fulfilling my purpose by using the gifts that God gave me to pursue my dream. Additionally, I am so grateful and fortunate that I am able to do what I love. This is what gives me the motivation to be the absolute best I can be.”

Favorite post-racing food: “Sushi and Acai bowls – yum!”

Tips for young sailors who want to follow your success: “Be someone you want others to look up to, no matter what success or adversity comes your way. If you live by that on and off the water, you’ll have success in anything you do. Remember to smile. Doing what you love is supposed to be fun, so never lose sight of that.”

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Finn sailor Caleb Paine wins bronze in Rio

The first regionally focused Olympic Development Program (ODP) Training Camp gets underway on Saturday in San Francisco with 40 youth sailors, ages 15-20, from around the country. The notable coach lineup includes Rio medalist Caleb Paine (who recently re-located to San Francisco to begin training for the 2020 Olympics) along with Grant Spanhake, Kevin Hall, David Liebenberg, Dane Wilson, Mark Andrews and Pete Melvin.

Sponsored primarily by the St. Francis Sailing Foundation, the 3-day camp will be held at the St. Francis Yacht Club, with additional support from the Belvedere Cove Foundation. The training camp is part of a high-performance fall training series for ODP team members and the US Youth Worlds team to prepare for the Youth Worlds in December.

Significantly, however, this is the first time that US Sailing has extended participation in its training camps to local regional programs. The goal is to have ODP coaches and sailors work alongside the local sailors and coaches to encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing on both levels. Participants will be on the water from 10-2pm daily, followed by a debrief.

“Due to the success of the 2015 ODP clinic here in San Francisco, we are fortunate to again be selected as the venue for this camp,” Pam Healy, St Francis Sailing Foundation advisor and US Sailing Youth Committee member commented. “Significantly, US Sailing will be holding future developmental clinics in various regions across the US to bring up the regional level of local sailors.”

The skill focus for this camp will be on sailing in heavy weather; the October and November camps will focus on speed and racing, respectively. The following classes will be supported: Laser Radial, i420, 29er, and Nacra15.

Paine, who received significant funding and assistance from the St Francis Sailing Foundation throughout his recent – and successful – Olympic campaign is excited to have the opportunity to coach this weekend. “I am so grateful for all the help I received throughout my campaign and know only too well how important training camps like this are for personal development. Consistency and repetition as well as the opportunity to train with others is key.”

Regional sailors attending the clinic were selected based on high skill level (top 15 finishers, or equivalent skill level, at the class Midwinters, North Americans, or other championship-level events) and heavy weather experience (experience and capability sailing in high breeze -20kts), as well as demonstrated commitment to the sport and a high fitness level.

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World Champion Kite Foiler Tests Twin Tip Racing For First Time

Daniela Moroz receives support from the St Francis Sailing Foundation.

With the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on the horizon, 15-year old Daniela Moroz changed gears this past week, switching out foiling gear for a twin tip and inflatable kite to compete in her first twin tip racing event – IKA TT:R Kitesurf European Championships, held in Gizzeria in southern Italy.

The Formula Kite World Champion and Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year had just a couple of sessions on a twin tip and inflatable kite on her home turf, San Francisco Bay, before heading to Italy, so she was stoked with her result: 2^nd overall in Girls Under 19 class.

“I’ve never twin tip raced before, and other than those practice sessions, the last time I used a twin tip was when I learned to kite about four years ago!” Daniela said, with her signature grin. “Honestly, I did not expect to do very well at all just considering I hadn’t been on a twin tip in years and was really unfamiliar with the whole format. My goal was just to practice, and, also see how good the European girls are. I did not race against any of the girls that I foil with.”

Moroz performed solidly the first three days of the event, leading the Girls competition. Her goal was to stay as consistent as possible and win every heat but the format posed some challenges, as she explained.

“The challenging part about this elimination format is that you could have one wipeout in one heat, but it could put you out for the rest of that round if you didn’t finish in the top 4 in that heat. When the obstacles were introduced I had some trouble because I’m not at all used to jumping a twin tip, while all the other girls are freestylers that jump (and do tricks) all the time. Throughout the entire week I wiped out twice, but because those wipeouts were in the heats that qualified you to the final heat, they cost me first place and about 20 points.”

On the race course, twin tip racing is done slalom style, while foiling is regular course racing, like sailing. Moroz has a few thoughts about foiling versus riding twin tips acknowledging that transitioning from a twin tip to a foil is extremely challenging. But, she says, going from a foil to a twin tip just feels like going backwards…given there is much less speed and maneuverability involved.

Kiteboarding has been accepted into the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as a demonstration/exhibition event and the discipline will be kite foiling, much to Moroz’ delight, with the format and equipment (kind of foils/kites) yet to be confirmed. Meanwhile, Moroz plans to continue TT racing with an eye on the 2018 Youth Olympics; the qualifying event for North America will be in January.

Traveling the world and competing at high profile events has plenty of perks including the opportunity to check out world class kiting spots most kiters only get to dream about.

“The event venue was an amazing kiting spot, probably one of my favorites I’ve ever been to,” Moroz enthused. “The wind was super consistent, flat water, and both the outside air and water temperature were really warm. The food (and coffee!) was amazing. After the event, mom and I flew to Rome and were tourists for a day. It was a really fun trip, and I hope I can go back there next year!”

Through an initiative by the US Sailing Match Racing to promote match racing among women, the San Francisco Bay Women’s Match Race Clinic and Grade 5 Regatta on July 7 to 9 attracted 36 female sailors from the Bay Area, Southern California, the East Coast, and even St. Petersburg, Russia. The St Francis Foundation provided a grant for the event; in addition, ten J/22s owned by the Foundation and operated by the St Francis Yacht Club were used in the clinic. Foundation recipient Nicole Breault ran the clinic and was assisted by another Foundation recipient, Molly Carapiet.

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Erika Heineken has the distinctive honor of holding two World Champion Formula Kiteboarding Championship titles, two North American Championship titles as well as four Canadian National Championship titles. Heineken, 30, grew up in Larkspur and attended high school at Marin Academy, and she and younger brother Johnny are fixtures in the local sailing and kiteboarding scene. An engineer with the City of San Francisco Department of Public Works, Heineken lives in Corte Madera with husband John Tilney, their new baby Cody Heineken Tilney, and chocolate lab Belle.

1. Where did you develop a passion for water sports?

My dad started windsurfing in the late 1970s and when my brother and I got to the age where we could learn to windsurf he immediately threw us on a board. Dad has also been a long time member of the St. Francis Yacht Club so we got on the water when we were very young. There are photos of me sailing on my parents’ boat in the Delta when I was a month old. Johnny and I learned to sail dinghies in the Richmond Yacht Club Junior Sailing Program when we were very young. I also coached sailing at the San Francisco Yacht Club for many years, and was on the University of Vermont sailing team.

2. How did you get into kiteboarding?

Once Johnny converted over to kiting, I saw how much progress he made in a short time and was convinced I had to switch as well. I learned on a trip to Costa Rica one winter when I was in college — what started as a surf trip turned into a kiting trip. I ended up changing my ticket to stay for a month to learn to kite and became pretty competent. I returned home, bought kites and the rest is history.

3. Do you think other sports you played helped you develop as a kiter?

I have played volleyball really competitively since fourth grade and through two years of college at the D3 level. I don’t know how much transferred over to kiting but definitely the competitive spirit did. I am quite competitive when it comes to the top level!

4. What have been your biggest accomplishments in kiteboarding?

I won the World Championships (2012 in Cagliari, Italy, and 2013 in Boao, China), on the Formula Race Board, and I won a tour on the hydrofoil at a time when that form of kiting was very new.

5. What was the most well-earned award?

The first World Championship I won was in Sardinia, Italy, in 2012. It had just been announced that kiting would replace windsurfing in the Olympics so not only was there way more attention all of a sudden internationally at this regatta but it was also the year Johnny and I won the world titles together.

6. How often do you get to hang out with brother Johnny?

We see each other more in the summer when it’s kiting season, and during the winter we try to make time to take our dogs, brown labs who are sisters, for hikes and throw a Frisbee for them.

7. How do you stay in shape and specifically for kiting?

When I’m sailing I try to exercise outside — hike, bike and kite. I’m at the top of my game in the summer when I’m kiting as I’m getting all the exercise I need. We sometimes ride our bikes home from work in the city and I love that. In the winter I try to squeak by with just sailing on weekends and going to the gym but that’s more for my mental health.

8. How do you juggle a career while competing as an elite athlete?

It’s not easy. For about four years I was very focused on kiting and used all of my free time to compete internationally. Now I’m re-evaluating that decision after not kiting for the past nine months and considering how intensely I want to go back. Luckily my work has been flexible enough to allow me to take extra time off.

9. What is your philosophy now that you have a baby; will you stay active in the sport?

We’re not going to try to change our lives too much. Cody will be in tow with us wherever we go (laughs)! Whether he likes it, we’ll have to wait to find out. He’ll go to daycare when I go back to work but on the way home, the beach is between work and home and his grandparents are just down the street so luckily we have a lot of help so I think we’ll still manage to get back into our kiting routine a few days a week.

10. What’s your advice and encouragement for women wanting to learn how to kite?

Being comfortable in the water is No. 1 and skills from other board sports will really accelerate the process but isn’t required. It also pays to learn to fly a small trainer kite before taking a lesson.

St. Francis Sailing Foundation recognized as primary supporter of TISC’s signature programs

At the 2017 US Sailing National Symposium in Austin, Texas, US Sailing awarded the Jim Kilroy Outstanding Outreach and Inclusion Award to Treasure Island Sailing Center (TISC) for creating public access to sailing for thousands of San Francisco Bay Area individuals. Behind much of that access was the St. Francis Sailing Foundation, which provided meaningful grants to several of TISC’s signature programs.

“The St. Francis Sailing Foundation is proud to have played a significant role in bringing thousands of Bay Area schoolchildren to the San Francisco Bay as primary supporter of the Set Sail Learn program,” said Bill Kreysler, Foundation president. Set Sail Learn is a one-day exploration trip for San Francisco fourth graders that incorporates sailing into a hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) curriculum, fostering learning and a love for San Francisco Bay. “There is no more creative way to teach science, technology, engineering and math than through the life-changing experience of being on the water,” said Kreysler.

The Foundation was also the primary support of EAST, the high school racing team for Oakland’s Envision Academy, in partnership with OCSC Sailing School. Anthony Sandberg, founder of OCSC Sailing said, “Bringing sailing to inner city youth is one of my proudest accomplishments. There is a great future for sailing if we make it accessible and inclusive.”

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The 2017 St. Francis Sailing Foundation will be on March 21, 2017 at 4pm at the St. Francis Yacht Club.  For more details, see here.

Foundation Invests in Future of San Francisco’s Children With Innovative Fourth Grade Curriculum on the Bay

Thousands of San Francisco fourth graders are enjoying a new twist on science and math lessons while learning basic principles of sailing as part of Set Sail Learn, an engaging classroom experience on San Francisco Bay made possible by a significant grant from the St. Francis Sailing Foundation (StFSF). This grant, the largest in the history of the StFSF, marks a major expansion of the Foundation’s community outreach programs. The Foundation’s other major activities focus on development and support of competitive athletes, from Olympic hopefuls to youth sailors.

Set Sail Learn was launched on October 15, 2015 at a media event at Treasure Island Sailing Center. The event garnered coverage from Bay area broadcast and print media, as well as the sailing media. A number of key San Francisco city officials attended, including the St Francis Yacht Club’s landlord, Recreation and Parks department.

Children from 28 public schools in San Francisco are learning Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) both on the water through sailing as well as in a hands-on classroom at the Treasure Island Sailing Center (TISC). For some of the children, this engaging environment is their first encounter with the city’s greatest natural resource, San Francisco Bay.

“Set Sail Learn is an innovative initiative engaging fourth graders to learn about all things related to San Francisco Bay as well as the basic principles of sailing,” said Carolyn Patrick, President of the St. Francis Sailing Foundation. “This is an investment in the future of our city’s children. Many of the city’s school children are being exposed to the Bay for the first time, opening doors to learning in a stimulating, natural and fun environment. St. Francis Sailing Foundation is proud to partner with Treasure Island Sailing Center to make this program possible.”

“Access to the Bay provides an exciting way to learn STEM principles,” said Carisa Harris-Adamson, Chair of TISC Board of Directors, the non-profit community sailing center that developed Set Sail Learn. “Thanks to the vision of St. Francis Sailing Foundation, we now have the necessary funding to provide innovative school lessons while also introducing many of the children to sailing for the first time. Children who show interest in the sport from this introduction can continue sailing in our after school or summer programs, which offer scholarships to thousands of children each year.”

“Set Sail Learn engages the different learning modalities of the kids, visual, kinetic, song, dance and sailing,” said fourth grade teacher Joi Jackson. “I saw this program touch every part of each of my children. Thank you so much for allowing my native San Franciscans to really experience the Bay,” says the teacher from Leonard R. Flynn Elementary School of the San Francisco Unified School District.

A reporter covering the Set Sail Learn launch summed it up this way, “I’ve shot a few youth events, and this one really stands out. It was obvious the kids on the water were having a great time. All of them looked mesmerized, dragging their hands in the water and grinning and chattering. They’ll never forget that experience. The group was the real thing:…kids who truly need stuff like this.“

About Set Sail Learn

Set Sail Learn runs Monday-Thursday from 9am-1:00pm at the Treasure Island Sailing Center. Twenty-four classes are participating in the first half of the school year. A typical day consists of classroom learning on topics such as Ecology of the Bay, Power of the Wind or Maritime Math & History followed by an on-the-water sailing session in RS Venture boats. The city helped identify seed funding for a pilot program in Fall, 2013. Thanks to a significant grant from the St. Francis Sailing Foundation, TISC in partnership with San Francisco Public Schools is offering Set Sail Learn as fourth grade curriculum.

About St. Francis Sailing Foundation

The St. Francis Sailing Foundation (StFSF) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with the mission to raise and grant money to deserving sailors and organizations that promote sailing, racing competition and maritime education.

StFSF supports organizations that put thousands of underserved youth and disabled sailors on the water in enrichment programs that teach sailing, life lessons, and science utilizing sailing. Set Sail Learn is the largest program ever sponsored by StFSF.

StFSF also promotes competitive sailing and US Olympic Sailing Team development, with support of serious Olympic athletes, beginning Olympic hopefuls, and junior sailors.