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US Sailing has announced the conclusion of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Athlete Trials in the Finn class, giving leading U.S. athlete Luke Muller, 24, a place on the 2020 US Olympic Sailing Team. Luke earned selection thanks to his performances at the 2019 Finn World Championship and 2020 Hempel World Cup Series Miami, where he placed 17th and 3rd, respectively. This will be his first Olympic Games appearance.

Currently based in Houston, TX, Luke’s been hunkering down and focusing 100% on improving with training partner Eric Anderson and is thrilled that the deal is sealed. He was leading other US Finn hopeful Caleb Paine by seven points after the first two trials events. The final selection event was to be held during the World Championships in October but when the EU decided to cease allowing Americans into that region due to COVID-19, the selection process was amended and thus ended early.

“I had a good lead and I was confident of my success following those first two events but knowing that it’s now the real deal, it feels really good and I am overjoyed,” Luke said. “Now I can focus on improving and getting as prepared as possible for the Games.”

It’s not an easy time in the universe to keep one’s head in the game for Tokyo but Luke is taking the status quo in stride.

“I’ve been really trying to remain optimistic and focus on the fact that I have that extra time to refine my craft,” he explained. “The result is not the only thing that matters – I really enjoy getting better at sailing Finns. Having extra time is an opportunity.”

Luke and Eric have figured out a physical distancing system to continue working during this time with coach Luther Carpenter who resides in Houston.

“Eric and I are living together while in Texas, and I really only interact with him,” Luke noted. “We’re lucky enough that Houston Yacht Club has a large space and we don’t need to come in contact with anyone in order to train here. We carry all our water and food instead of on the coach boat. Every two-weeks we pay $5 for curbside groceries so we don’t have to go inside.”

The pair have devised a system so that at the end of the day Luther gives them video through his car window – they exchange all their video and photo files that way. When they get home after training, they do a video conference and exchange notes. The system keeps them isolated so that they are able to remain safe and effective.

“We’re doing the best we can with the resources we have,” Luke said. “It would be time-costly to move somewhere else right now, so we plan to finish out this block of training before we leave.  Houston was relatively safe when we got here but as things worsened, we got more disciplined and took the virus more seriously. We want to avoid contributing to the spread and we want to stay healthy to maximize time on the water. It is not what we are used to, but it isn’t too inconvenient either. We are lucky to be on the water.”

With his selection to the Team, Luke would like to close out his fund-raising gap and raise his budget, noting that his supporters have been very understanding that the Games postponement has been hard for athletes.

“I have a very dedicated and supportive following which I’m really grateful for, including the Foundation,” he said. “With the announcement that I’m on the Olympic roster, I’m hoping that improves my support.”

Luke Muller / 2020 Hempel World Cup Series Miami

ABOUT LUKE
A member of the US Sailing Team for the last six years, Muller has progressed significantly since finishing college at Stanford University and shifting his focus to a full-time campaign in the Finn. In 2016, he served as training partner for Caleb Paine (San Diego, Calif.), who went on to win the Bronze Medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics in the Finn class.

Muller is a three-time World Cup medalist, two-time National Champion, and is currently ranked among the world’s top 20 Finn sailors. Some of his career highlights in the Finn include, 3rd place at both the 2019 and 2020 Hempel World Cup Series Miami, 9th at the 2017 Kiel Week Regatta, and 4th at the 2017 Sailing World Cup Miami.

Caleb Paine, Foundation grantee and Olympian (Bronze Medalist in the Finn, Rio 2016) has announced that he will end his campaign for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. For now, he plans to focus on his role as grinder on American Magic and the 36^th America’s Cup. His decision comes at a time when there is so much uncertainty in the world including the future of the 2020 Olympics rescheduled for 2021. With still an Olympic trial for the Finn in 2020 to be sailed, a potential timing conflict between that event and Paine’s commitment to American Magic spurred his decision.

“I knew that the Olympic trials were going to be scheduled during a time when I’d probably be in New Zealand for the America’s Cup,” Paine said. “In talking to Terry and the American Magic team, it would not be possible to be going back and forth to New Zealand, especially not now. It was also just a matter of timing with my career in sailing and other things I have set out to do. I just felt like now was the right time to start a new chapter in my journey of this sailing I am doing.”

While double duty had its challenges, Paine said working on both campaigns was all the easier with both the US Sailing Team and American Magic very supportive of his endeavors. “Whatever I decided to do, they were entirely on board with that. It was an easy situation in all reality,” Paine said.

Noting that the next Olympic Games will also mark the end of the Finn era, Paine is happy that the opportunity to represent the US in the Finn will go to another Olympic hopeful.

“I will say medaling at the last Olympics definitely made this decision a little easier than it probably would have been otherwise. It was awesome to have had the opportunity and now for someone else to have that opportunity.”

American Magic hopes to be back on the water in July and Paine’s waiting for the green light to get back to work. “I’m keeping as healthy and strong as possible so that when the opportunity comes, I can be ready to be back with the team,” Paine, clearly excited, noted.

The Foundation has played an important role in Paine’s development as a sailor and he’s looking forward to continuing his involvement with its community on some level.

“The Foundation gives individuals who have dreams and aspirations to be successful in events like the Olympics,” Paine said. “Without their support and encouragement, many of these athletes would not be able to do what they need to do or represent the US at the Olympics. Without the Foundation’s support, my Olympic dreams would not have been possible, and I owe a great debt to their kindness and support.”

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Finding her pace at the 2020 ILCA Women’s Laser Radial World Championships this past week, Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.) emerged victorious over fellow US Sailing Team athletes, Erika Reineke (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Charlotte Rose (Houston, Texas), to win a spot on Team USA for the Tokyo 2020 Games. After capping off the event with a strong top-ten finish, Railey finished 14th overall. Reineke and Rose finished the event in 26th and 36th, respectively.

The final day of the 2020 ILCA Women’s Laser Radial World Championships yet again delivered some shifty conditions on Port Phillip Bay. Athletes hit the water as scheduled and sailed one race in three to eight knots. When the shifty breeze never solidified enough for the remaining two races, the Race Committee made the decision to finish the day after one race, marking the end of the Championship and U.S. Laser Radial Olympic trials.

At this point, Railey, at age 32, is an Olympic veteran with two Games under her belt. Still, her road to Tokyo has been far from easy. “It has been a hell of a road to get here. These last two Worlds have been the most stressful trials I’ve ever competed in,” she said.

“I’ve been working really hard over the last five months after I pretty much started from rock bottom with my body because of health issues. I knew coming into this event that Australia was going to be windy and it turned out to also be really shifty. So, going into our trials sitting in second place and expecting conditions that I wasn’t necessarily 100% ready for was definitely stressful.” Full Report

Helping sailors reach their potential is what the Foundation is all about and its Annual Auction, just around the corner on March 3, is the fundraising mechanism to make this happen. Attendees can look forward to a variety of exclusive and unique opportunities that they’ll only find at the Auction. PREVIEW AUCTION BROCHURE and while you’re at it, be sure to buy your Auction ticket!

Meanwhile, enjoy a snapshot of silent and live items up for grabs, listed below:

Cool and Unusual:

• Cabaret in the Sky—an evening at the home of Bruce & Debby Smith who will fly in musicians from New York and Los Angeles for your exclusive entertainment. There will be food and libations commensurate with, and in honor of, all-time great sailor and StFYC Chairman of the Board, Paul Cayard. This special night is open to 30 people on September 20.
• Sail to a picturesque harbor on the French Riviera aboard the classic 61-foot yacht Athene, once the Flagship of the StFYC.

Getaways:

• Seven-night stay in Alexandria, Virginia, in a two-bedroom condo with a view of the Potomac, dinner at Landini’s and drinks at a private Cigar Bar and Lounge
• One week at Esperanza, a luxury private resort in Cabo San Lucas
• A weekend in harvest season at a well-appointed condo at the renowned Silverado Resort in Napa
• One jazzy week with eight friends in a fabulous New Orleans home

Sporting Events:

• SailGP chase boat ride for two during SailGP San Francisco in May
• Two courtside Warriors tickets & VIP passes for one game next season
• Two VIP tickets for the Kings/Lakers game in Sacramento, April 4
• Eight-person condo in Sun Valley during Ski Week 2021; includes lift tickets for four
• Four VIP passes to final three days of Track & Field Olympic Trials, including accommodation for four

Up your Sailing Game:

• On-water coaching sessions with Mike Martin or Nicole Breault
• Week-long Laser Clinic at the International Sailing Academy in Mexico

Things you Can’t Get Anywhere Else:

• Tour for four at the top of Salesforce Tower (not open to the public)
• Tugboat ride on SF Bay
• Champagne & caviar sunset sail for 12 aboard the classic yacht, Mayan

2019 Rolex Big Boat Series

We are so very proud of our sailors who swept US Sailing’s 2019 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards. Awards were given to Foundation Advisory Board member Mike Martin – four-time 505 World Championship winner together with his crew Adam Lowry, and Foundation grantee Daniela Moroz – four-time World Kiteboard Champion and now two-time Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year. Honored for the best performances of 2019, these sailors inspire us with their athleticism and the spirit of excellence they bring to our sport. https://www.ussailing.org/news/2019rolexyyawards/

The Foundation also congratulates Paul Cayard, St FYC Chairman and Foundation Advisory Board member. Paul has been selected to join  The Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame (BASHOF) 2020 induction class. In doing so, he becomes the first sailor to be recognized by the BASHOF, joining Bay Area sports-world greats such as Joe Montana, Jonny Moseley and Willie Mays.

Paul is a seven-time world champion and seven-time America’s Cup competitor. He has circumnavigated the world twice, becoming the first American to win the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1998 and placing second with the Disney syndicate Pirates of the Caribbean in the 2005–2006 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race. A two-time Olympian (1984 and 2004) and one of the very few in the sport of sailing who have competed at the top level in these three diverse disciplines, Paul’s accolades also include induction to the US Sailing Hall of Fame (2011) and Rolex Yachtsman of the Year (1998). He also serves on the Board of US Olympic Sailing.

With less than two weeks to the Foundation’s Annual Auction Fundraiser, our primary mechanism for helping sailing athletes reach their full potential, we are thrilled to celebrate these successes. We hope to see you on March 3!

Paul Cayard with StFYC Nacra 15 stars

January 25, 2020 – Miami delivered surprising conditions for the final day of the 2020 Hempel World Cup Series Miami. Contrary to the forecast, the Race Committee was able to fire off all of the Medal Races, allowing four American sailors including three St Francis Sailing Foundation grantees to secure Medal victories, three Gold and one Bronze. On the final day of the regatta, U.S. athletes in the 470, RS:X, and Finn classes also capped off the second of three events that make up the U.S. athlete Olympic trials.

Caleb Paine secured his Gold Medal in the Finn class. Today, his teammate Luke Muller (Fort Pierce, Fla.) secured the Bronze, despite taking a penalty turn in the exciting Finn Medal Race.

“I took more risk than some of the other boats on the upwinds, but I did what I thought was going to pay,” Muller said. “Then on the last downwind, because I was pushing so hard to pass as many boats as I could, I got a penalty. The points were such that if I pushed it and broke the [propulsion] rule, I would still be okay, but if they didn’t penalize me, I was closer to getting Silver. So, in my mind, it was a good risk.”

Muller will continue to lead the U.S. trials. Currently, he has a buffer of six finishing positions between him and Paine. The victor will be determined at the 2020 Finn Gold Cup.

Also bringing home a Gold Medal today is Laser Radial athlete Erika Reineke (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). Reineke went into today’s Medal Race leading the fleet by only two points. The race was an exciting tactical battle with Vaselia Karachaliou (GRE) for the Gold. Neck and neck through the final downwind leg, Reineke finally solidified a Gold Medal win after Karachaliou received a penalty from the jury.

“Off the start, I felt really good,” said Reineke. “I tacked and I was at the front of the race and then I messed up one shift and my competitors split from me. Vasileia played the first beat extremely well and I tried to keep my head in the game and not give up. On the last downwind I covered her and unfortunately, she got a flag, but that’s the sport. I had to beat her [Vasileia] in the race and the Italian [Talluri] was also very close so I just went out there trying to win.”

Reineke was ecstatic to win her first race of 2020. “It feels really good. I’m still trying to get my head around it, but it feels great. The nerves got to me during the race. I dropped my tiller extension, and I had bad mark roundings, but now it’s great. I couldn’t have done it without my coach, Steve [Mitchell], my team and support.”

In the Women’s 470 Medal Race, Carmen and Emma Cowles (Larchmont, N.Y.) finished in fifth place and first among the American teams. Atlantic and Nora Brugman (Winthrop, Mass.) also appeared in today’s Medal Race. The pair finished the final race in eighth, to end up ninth overall. The Women’s 470 trials will remain incredibly tight as they head into their 2020 World Championship. The Brugmans lead by one point over the Cowles and three over Nikole Barnes (Miami, Fla.) and Lara Dallman-Weiss (Shoreview, Minn.).

Pedro Pascual (West Palm Beach, Fla.) is the Men’ RS:X Gold Medalist.

The US Sailing Team will turn its focus to the upcoming World Championships in Australia and the 51^st Trofeo Princesa Sofia Regatta in Spain. Full report: https://www.ussailing.org/news/hwcsm20-usst/

January 25, 2020 – Today is final day of the Hempel World Cup Series Miami 2020 and the final opportunity for North American nations to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games across the 470, RS:X, Laser, Laser Radial and Finn. St Francis Foundation grantees have worked hard for success this week including Caleb Paine (Finn) and Erika Reineke. Today’s racing will determine who goes to Tokyo!

Watch ALL 7 Medal Races LIVE from Miami! Schedule (-5 UTC): 09:07 – 470 Women 09:45 – 470 Men 10:18 – Laser Radial 10:51 – Laser 11:24 – Finn 11:57 – RS:X Women 12:30 – RS:X Men.

Caleb Paine of the United States has won gold ahead of the Medal Race as he has an unassailable lead over Kyle Martin (CAN). Across the ten-race series, Paine has taken five race wins and four seconds. An 11^th in Race 9 today was his worst score of the week. Martin of Canada won Race 10 and now stands in second place. Luke Muller who is even on points with Martin is in third.

Leading the Laser Radial fleet is  Erika Reineke of the United States. She has a narrow two-point lead over Vasileia Karachaliou of Greece and a five-point edge over Matilda Talluri of Italy.

The only nation in the running for the North American Tokyo 2020 spot in the Women’s 470 is the USA. The event also acts as an American team qualifier with Nikola Barnes and Lara Dallman-Weiss, Carmen and Emma Cowles as well as Atlantic and Nora Brugman. The Brugmans and Cowles qualified for tomorrow’s Medal Race by finishing the fleet racing stage in eight and ninth, respectively. The Brugmans won today’s race and have a one-point edger over the Cowles.

Full report: https://miami.ussailing.org/day5-report/

Quick Links to Hempel World Cup Series Miami Coverage:

• Follow the Racing
• Results and Standings
• Live Tracking

WATCH
Daily highlights and live streamed Medal Races on Saturday 25 January will be available across the World Sailing YouTube Channel. Click here to subscribe.

Racing in the 2019 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 Worlds is underway in Auckland, New Zealand, an important event for nations that haven’t qualified yet for Japan 2020, and/or for nations that are using the Worlds to determine who represents them. The USA has qualified in the FX and Nacra but not 49er, and the country is using the 2019 and 2020 Worlds to determine who represents the country in those classes.

Today’s results from Auckland are encouraging for US sailors. After four races in the 49erFX and Nacra classes, Paris Henken (Coronado, Calif.) and Anna Tobias – both Foundation grantees in previous Olympic campaigns – are leading the 49erFX fleet. Riley Gibbs (Long Beach, Calif., current Foundation grantee) and Anna Weis (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) are in third in the Nacra 17 fleet.

Malcom Page, Chief of US Sailing, reported that June was a busy month for the US Sailing Team in the Bay Area with Finn, Laser Full Rig, Laser Radial and 49erFX training taking place on the Bay as competitors in the Pan American Games Classes put their final touches on preparation for their World Championships or the Regional Games.

“People generally know the Bay Area for it’s strong sea-breezes, but just like most venues, we have found the weather not to be exactly true to this reputation,” Page said. “With heat waves, late arrivals of winds, and a good variety of conditions have made the camps a great skill building opportunity. Many of the coaches have commented how great and hard sailing is in the Bay, which in turn skills the athlete a little more than another venue.”

FAST USA has set up in a temporary facility at Treasure Island Sailing Center – slowly but surely Page and his team are bringing the FAST concept to life.

“It’s great to see the FAST USA center of excellence dream take some more steps forward,” Page enthused. “This concept will become the envy of the world and will allow a place for top medal winning athletes to mingle with beginner learn to sail and everyone in between. Thank you for your support and Go Team USA!”

FAST as reported by Kimball Livingston
https://www.sail-world.com/news/218582/FAST-Forward-Slowly-(but-surely)

https://tinyurl.com/y65bzve4