Enright, Towill to share story of USA VOR at Sailing Leadership Forum

by US Sailing on 23 Sep 2015 Charlie Enright and Mark Towill, the youngest contestants and leaders of the American entry in the 2014-2015 Volvo Ocean Race, will share the inside story of their first around-the-world campaign as featured presenters at the Sailing Leadership Forum 2016, hosted by US Sailing at the Hilton San Diego Resort on February four - six.

Enright and Towill, co-founders of Team Alvimedica, will deliver a keynote presentation on the genesis of their fascinating Volvo Ocean Race team. The pair will discuss the partnerships they made, resources they utilized, how they built the team, and the many lessons learned throughout their journey. They will also reveal their plans for the 2017-18 edition of sailing’s ocean marathon.

“Our first Volvo Ocean Race provided a steep learning curve on all aspects of performance,” said Enright, 31, the youngest skipper in the race. “Before even thinking about succeeding in the race, we first had to identify and develop the crew, manage the team, the resources, timeline, and sponsor commitments. This management exercise relates directly to performance and we achieved some significant milestones on the water such as first to Cape Horn. The team building process and seeing the team come together as a unit was probably the most rewarding aspect of the last race. We plan to build on that for the next time.”

“The Volvo Ocean Race is a race within a race – the first one is to the start line,” said Towill, 26, general manager and watch captain. “In many ways, the challenge to find a commercial partner is the toughest part of this global competition – well, except for the Southern Ocean.”

What is the Sailing Leadership Forum?

Sailing Leadership Forum 2016 offers a unique experience for leaders representing all areas of sailing to connect on important issues facing our sport. The Forum features a new line-up of insightful presentations that address the many relevant topics in sailing.

Individuals from sail training and education, yacht club and sailing organization leaders, race officials, and industry professionals will meet and learn from one-another in the surroundings of this spectacular Southern California venue.

The Sailing Leadership Forum will feature lively and fun social events, hands-on activities, exhibitor displays and demonstrations, pre- and post - forum clinics and seminars for instructor certification, race management, and much more.

All sailors have something in common – the importance of keeping sailing vibrant and strong for future generations of sailors.

For more information and to register visit Sailing Leadership Forum 2016 website.