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 Olympic, VOR and AC dreams—Sailing News from the U.S. and Beyond
 | | US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider 49er reps Erik Storck and Trevor Moore at the 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships, in Perth, Australia Alex McKinnon |
The dream of winning an Olympic medal is a lofty one, and the road is filled with myriad challenges and trials that each contending sailor must surmount to just to get in the door. Then, the real fight begins.
US Sailing has put together a great Q&A with Erik Storck and Trevor Moore, the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider 49er-class representatives for the 2012 Games, that sheds light on the dedication and driven mindset required to be the best. Here's a great snippet, from the US Sailing article:
What are you most looking forward to about competing in the Olympics?
Erik Storck: I'm most looking forward to flying the flag spinnaker and having USA on our sail (with no number). It will be very special to represent our country in that fashion. Walking in the Opening Ceremonies will be a highlight as well.'
We at Sail-World.com are also super excited to see the entire US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider competing with flagged sails, and we wish each sailor the best of luck in their final preparations.
I will be on the water in Weymouth, as part of the large Sail-World media team at the Olympic regatta, so I look forward to bringing you some very detailed coverage of our team efforts.
Be sure to check out the rest of US Sailing's Storck/Moore interview, inside, and stand-by for more Olympic updates as the Games approach.
Meanwhile, for teams racing in the fully crewed, around-the-world Volvo Ocean Race (VOR), only three scoring chances remain (two in-port races and one offshore leg), so the pressure-cooker is on full-tilt for the front-running teams to perform. Currently four teams—Groupama, Telefonica, Puma Ocean Racing and Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ)—are in contention for overall podium finishes, with Groupama 4 currently leading this edition's class of Volvo Open 70s.
 | | Former race leader Telefonica has had to do some tough reckoning Maria Muina/Equipo Telefonica |
Longtime race leader Telefonica has all but concluded that theirs is likely a race for second-place, a fate that skipper Iker Martinez isn't particularly thrilled about. 'We never ever thought about coming second in this race,' said Martinez. 'We wanted to win it. Now that we cannot do that, to come in second or third is not too important for us. What's important for us is to finish the regatta with a good feeling, and with knowing that we've done all we could. As long as we have that, then that will be enough.' More, inside.
And in Cup news, a fire broke out in the bulkhead of San Francisco's Pier 29—home of an America's Cup construction site—on June 20, triggering a four-alarm response from local fire fighters. Fortunately, the blaze did little more than snarl traffic as the zone is being razed to make way for Cup facilities.
 | | Luna Rossa - America's Cup World Series Newport 2012, First day of training © ACEA / Photo Gilles Martin-Raget |
Also in Cup news, the fleet of AC45 wingsail-powered catamarans have taken to the waters of Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay in preparation for next week's America's Cup World Series Newport Act, which is the final event of the ACWS's 2011-2012 season. Three teams—ETNZ, Artemis and Oracle Racing Spithill—are locked in serious contention for overall season honors, so count on an entertaining regatta.
 | | Here is where it all began - Kiel Week 2012 St. Francis Yachtclub |
And finally, kiteboarding made its way onto the international stage with its June 20th appearance at this year's Kiel Week, the Clipper Around the World Yacht Race fleet is bracing for a walloping, and the foil-borne l'Hydroptère DCNS has entered the Pacific Ocean by way of the Panama Canal and a freighter, en-route to LA and her eventual assault on the Transpac record. Stay tuned for more, as it becomes known.
May the four winds blow you safely home,
David Schmidt, Sail-World USA Editor
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