US Sailing Roadshow 2011 a big hit

by Jake Fish on 12 Jul 2011 US Sailing Roadshow 2011's Brooke Thomson and Will Ricketson embarked on an amazing journey over the summer with specific goals that focused on learning more about sailing programs in the U.S.

The crew have been listening to and getting to know the volunteers who are instrumental in helping grow the sport, promoting the overall enjoyment and accessibility of sailing, and educating sailors of the programs and services provided by US Sailing.

In less than a month, the US Sailing Roadshow crew has participated in 16 sailing events throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, from Maine to Virginia. In the process, Ricketson and Thomson have made tour stops in eight states and racked up over 2,700 miles on their US Sailing Roadshow branded 2011 Toyota Tundra, provided by Toyota of Dartmouth.

Since the program was launched in mid-June, the Roadshow crew has visited sailing venues and yacht clubs who are hosting regattas, clinics and other events. US Sailing has created a Roadshow Blog to document and share their experiences.

The Roadshow Blog includes frequently updated recaps, video and audio interviews and clips, photos, a Google Latitude tracker and more details from each stop. Along with event promotion and operational support, the Roadshow crew has provided instruction at youth sailing camps and adult learn-to-sail clinics. They have also raced with teams at regattas.

The US Sailing Roadshow has participated in events including Olympic Day for Sailing in New Bedford, Mass., Extreme Sailing Series event in Boston, Mass., USA Junior Olympic Festival in Hampton, Va., a Learn-to-Sail Clinic in Washington, D.C. and many more.

The Roadshow crew has had the opportunity to explore a variety of sailboats during their summer adventure, such as the O’Pen Bic (provided by Bic Sport), Extreme 40 catamaran, Navy 44 sloop, Buccaneer 18, J-Boat, Volvo Open 70, Rambler 100, Swedish Match 40, Shield, Laser, 420, Windsurfing, adaptive sailboats and others.

The Roadshow crew has encountered a number of prominent sailors along the way, such as skipper extraordinaire Terry Hutchinson; Olympians Amanda Clark and Carol Cronin; Paralympic Gold Medalist Maureen McKinnon-Tucker; America’s Cup icon Dawn Riley; Old Dominion Sailing Head Coach Mitch Brindley; Windsurfing legend Nevin Sayre; and US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics members Erik Storck, Trevor Moore and Rob Crane.

The crew will visit with the Manhattan Sailing Club (N.Y. ) on Tuesday, July 12 to learn about their various programs and provide support. Visit our schedule for future events here. The first-ever US Sailing Roadshow plans to explore the expansion of this program in the future. Follow the US Sailing Roadshow this summer by visiting our blog here.

US Sailing website