Olympic Qualifiers, Turning 22, & A New Watch

I am very pleased to say that 2023 is off to a great start! I’ve had great training so far and am seeing a lot of positive progress in my racing and results. This is an incredibly exciting year since Olympic qualification is already underway, and I’m really happy with the way my campaign is currently going. At the same time, I am always looking for more support, so if you’re interested in helping me reach my goal of a medal at the 2024 Olympic Games, visit the donate page. Now time for some updates.

I returned to Miami at the beginning of January for another big training block which would also include the beginning of the US Olympic qualification process. It’s a long and complex selection process of which full details can be found here. To summarize very briefly: I need to be the top American finisher of the US Open regattas (already done), get a podium (top 3) at the Marseille Olympic Test Event in July, and finish in the top 8 at the World Championships in August.

The plan was to train in Miami for about a week leading up to the US Open regatta, race in the regatta, train in Miami for another week, take a couple days off to pack up and travel to Clearwater, train in Clearwater for a week, and then race in the Clearwater regatta. I learned - a long time ago - that things don’t always go to plan, and this was exactly the case. My coach, Chris Rashley, and I had very specific training goals for what we wanted to accomplish during this block. Unfortunately, as is the nature of our sport, the conditions during all those weeks were completely unsuitable for our training goals. It was frustrating to go on the water and be unable to accomplish our training goals due to factors outside of our control. I kept feeling a deep sense of guilt and dread thinking about how I was losing time on the water. We did make the most of what we were given, however it was a reminder that obstacles like this are just part of this journey, and we must learn to accept, adapt, and move on (the obstacle is the way, am I right?).

The US Open Miami and Clearwater regattas were extremely exhausting, both physically, but more so mentally. There was a constant small pressure in the back of my mind thinking, “okay, this is it - this is my Olympic Trials”. In Miami, the conditions were relentlessly unforgiving - it was the most unstable wind I’ve ever had to compete in. Just launching, getting off the beach, and to the racing area was a feat in itself. We were only able to get two days of racing in Miami; one day of strong northwesterly wind and another day of extremely light and patchy northerly wind. I managed to stay pretty consistent on the windy day, and performed beyond my expectations on the light wind day. As I’ve mentioned before - light and patchy wind on the 21m kite has always been a bit of a weakness for me. But, on this day, I was finishing in the top three out of all the guys (men and women were racing together at this regatta). I’ve never considered myself to be very good in light wind (even now I’m second guessing myself a little bit - self confidence is a constant battle), but on that day, I was rewarded with all the time I’d spent training on the 21m in November and December - I’d made huge progress in my light wind skills. It was incredibly rewarding, and I won the event, which was a bit of a relief as it put me one step closer towards Olympic qualification. First box: checked.

The next step was the Clearwater regatta. This regatta happened to overlap with my birthday, which also happened to be on the same day as the US Sailing Awards dinner where the Rolex Yachtsman & Yachtswoman of the Year are named. Racing started off a bit tricky with only two races run in very light wind late in the day (which was a bit stressful for me because I had the awards ceremony to get to - great problems to have, don’t get me wrong). I finished with a 2 and an OCS, which put me in the middle of the fleet on the results - not really where I wanted to be sitting with such an uncertain forecast ahead. But, I just had to live with it, and I had a lot to be grateful for. My parents had flown in to celebrate my 22nd birthday, go to the awards dinner with me, and watch me race. Turning 22 was pretty incredible - I got to spend the day doing what I love, with my family and friends. Receiving the Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year award for the 4th time was certainly the cherry on top, and it was really special to share it with both of my parents. In 61 years of this award, there are only four sailors that have received this award four or more times. I was in complete disbelief, it was a true honor.

Back to the regatta in Clearwater, we had no racing on day 2, very tricky conditions on day 3, and a relatively more simple final day. I had extremely consistent results, and was really proud of my progress with some new starting line strategies I had been working on and my speed in light wind. I managed to win 7 out of 11 races, and was leading by hundreds of yards in some of them. I was also really proud of how I was able to stay positive and keep focused on the process throughout this entire block. I won the Clearwater regatta, and so secured my spot for the Marseille Test Event (July 7-16, 2023), 2023 World Championships (August 10-20), and the 2023 PanAm Games (October 20 - November 5). Another box: checked.

So you could say 2023 is off to a pretty good start. But it’s still a long road ahead. I’ve taken some time off to rest, reflect, and recharge after a big winter block. Up next, I’m heading back to Mexico for a three week training block which will lead me into the first two major international regattas of the year - the Trofeo Sofia regatta in Palma de Mallorca (March 31 - April 8, 2023) and the French Olympic Week regatta in Hyeres (April 22-29, 2023). These two regattas are key process regattas for me to check in and see how I’m doing against the rest of the international fleet. I’m already very excited to get racing, especially with Olympic qualification right around the corner.

As always, all of this is made possible by my amazing team of sponsors, partners, and supporters. To my coach Chris, my parents, my equipment suppliers and sponsors - Flysurfer Kiteboarding, Levitaz Hydrofoils, Tarifa Foil Boards, SK Shapes, Robline Ropes, and Sailmon Instruments - my main partners - Mirabaud, the St Francis Sailing Foundation, and the US Sailing Team - I’m honored to have all of your support and am so thankful to be doing this dream job. Of course, there’s many more members of the village that bring support along the way. Thank you to Luke Muller for letting me drive Bessie to get around this winter, to the team at Train 8Nine and FORCE for the amazing gym facilities, to my housemates in Key Biscayne for letting me room with them, and to everyone that has been there at some point along the way. This is the journey, and I’m thrilled you’re here as a part of it.