Please select your home edition
Edition
X-Yachts Leaderboard 2024 2

Anna Tunnicliffe announces retirement from Olympic sailing

by Anna Tunnicliffe on 11 Jan 2014
Anna Tunnicliffe, Debbie Capozzi and Molly O’Bryan Vandemoer (USA) competing in the Women’s Match Racing (Elliott 6M) event in The London 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition. onEdition http://www.onEdition.com
Double Olympic representative and 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist, Anna Tunnicliffe (30) has announced that she will retire from Olympic sailing after 12 years of competing. Anna backgrounds the difficult decision:

I've always been a believer in the 4 D's to accomplish a goal. Dream, Desire, Dedication, and Discipline. The Desire, Dedication, and the Discipline are what support the Dream and make it come true. Without one or more of these foundations, you can't accomplish the end goal, the Dream.

It is with a sad heart and tears in my eyes, that today I am announcing that I am retiring from Olympic sailing.

I have had a great run over the last 12 years coming away with one Olympic Gold Medal, two ISAF World Sailor of the Year awards, two World Championships, Multiple Podium World Championship finishes, and a lot of World Cup titles.

I have had the best teammates and sponsors and supporters anyone could ask for. I owe a big 'thank you' to US Sailing, US Sailing Team Sperry Top Sider, Carmeuse, Kaenon, Harken, Mclube, and Zhik for being there with me all the way. Also thank you to all the other Sponsors who helped make each of my campaigns a huge success.

It is a very challenging decision, one with which I have been fighting for a while, but I finally decided that it would not be fair to Molly for me to continue without the fire that burns inside. I know the Dedication and the Discipline that is required. I know how the Desire, the fire inside, should feel. But the fire is weak, and despite my efforts to try to re-ignite it, it's not there, telling me it's time to move on.

I love sailing and will never quit the sport. The Olympic Scene takes an incredible amount of energy and time and for the last 12 years I have dedicated every minute of my life to it. But now it's time to move on to other sailing.

Thank you everyone, for your support over the years, for being there and cheering on me and Molly and Debbie. Thank you.

Sail Anna Tunnicliffe website

Zhik - New Gear Has ArrivedSea Sure 2025P&B 15% Off Sails

Related Articles

2025 Rolex Middle Sea Race - The Maltese spirit
There are 13 Maltese teams. The Rolex Middle Sea Race lies at the heart of Malta's maritime heritage—a 606-nautical-mile challenge that continues to capture the imagination of sailors from around the world.
Posted today at 11:48 am
2025 World Sailing Awards finalists revealed
Voting opens today, including Rolex World Sailor of the Year World Sailing is very proud to announce the finalists for this year's male and female Rolex World Sailor of the Year, male and female Kuehne+Nagel Young World Sailor of the Year, 11th Hour Racing Impact Award, and Team of the Year.
Posted today at 10:27 am
2025 Aloha Classic Grand Final day 3
The biggest masters field in windsurfing history and junior champions crowned Day 3 of the Aloha Classic Grand Final delivered a spectacular showcase of windsurfing talent across generations, from the rising stars of the Junior and Pro Junior divisions to the legendary Masters.
Posted today at 9:39 am
What action have you missed?
RS Feva Europeans, RS Aero chairman, RS600 Nationals and more RS Feva Europeans, RS Aero chairman, Junior Team Championships, RS600 Nationals, the new RS Aira, and the Women's RS Aero Championships - check it all out.
Posted today at 9:30 am
Athene Cup at the Norfolk Punt Club
15 starters, the oldest helm was 83 and the youngest 12 The Athene Cup is a river race for Norfolk Punts on the Norfolk Broads and for many years it marks the end of the Norfolk Punt Club's racing for the year. There were 15 starters, the oldest helm was 83 and the youngest 12.
Posted today at 7:51 am
The Crazy Week of the Globe40
After two weeks at sea since the start from Cape Verde This has been a week we won't soon forget in the story of this second edition of the GLOBE40. After two weeks at sea since the start from Cape Verde in this high-coefficient (3) leg 2, the competitors continued their descent of the South Atlantic.
Posted today at 7:13 am
America's Cup: Big day for 38th Cup
ETNZ announce new team members; Dalton and Ainslie expand on the ACP; Kiwis have their first sail. Friday October 17, was a big day for the America's Cup - when the Defender went sailing for the first time in the new Cup cycle; the Kiwis announced four new team members; Grant Dalton and Ben Ainslie explained more on the new America's Cup Partnership.
Posted today at 3:55 am
Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race Day 7
Two more finish as Lucky declared overall winner Frantic and Antipodes have finished the Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race (S2A), as RPAYC declared Bryon Ehrhart's Lucky the overall winner of the 1250 nautical mile race, adding to her line honours and race record victories - a triple crown for the US entry.
Posted today at 1:22 am
Emirates Team NZ rounds out sailing team
Emirates Team NZ team are back out sailing with their AC40 from their home base in Auckland. Almost a year to the day since Emirates Team New Zealand won the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup the team are back out sailing with their AC40 from their home base in Auckland.
Posted today at 1:02 am
B14s in the Allspars Final Fling
There would be two events within one weekend, as the TT Series concluded The B14 bandwagon spent the week before the AllSpars Final Fling following the forecasts with great interest. Some inland events were cancelled due to predicted lack of wind. Some took place and the wind was scarce.
Posted on 16 Oct