There was lots of celebration in Tiananmen Square today. Why? China marked one year to 08.08.08 - the opening of the Beijing Summer Olympic Games!

Our Paralympic Opening Ceremonies follow immediately after on 09.06.08.

Today also marks 56 Days to the start of the US Sailing Trials in Newport, RI, the regatta which will determine which teams will represent the USA in Qingdao, the sailing venue for the Games. There are 5 teams competing for the one spot in the SKUD 18 which I sail with Nick Scandone. Only the winner of the Trials wins the right to represent our country on the world’s biggest stage.

Nick & I are off to a good start! We’ve won both regattas where we sailed against 3 of the 4 other US SKUD Teams. Olympic MedalsWe have the experience and ability to go all the way, winning the Trials and returning from Beijing with a gold medal. This is the goal that Nick and I are committed to.

We want that one in the middle!

What’s Next for the Campaign?

he next regatta is only 2 weeks away, August 26-30, the Clagget Clinic & Regatta in Newport. We’ll begin with a few days of independent practice beginning on the 20th, a few days of organized Team practice with the rest of the US SKUDders and US Coach Betsy Allison, and then more racing. This will all take place in the same waters as the US Trials, which will help us develop more knowledge of the currents and winds. Dan, the kids and I will be staying on trusty old Winsome, our 25′ sailboat, to save on lodging expenses. It’s the cold showers ashore in the Mule Barn that reduce the need for a coffee!

IFDS Worlds logoWe have a few days off and I re-connect with my job. Then we pack up the wagon, the SKUD, the kids and the coach boat to Rochester, NY for the IFDS World Championship on Labor Day. Racing begins on September 7th and runs through the 15th.

This is the second most important regatta of the year. It will be our first opportunity to face any international competition AND it is the first opportunity for the USA to actually qualify to send a SKUD team to the Paralympics. The top 7 countries will qualify to attend the Games. Nick has already qualified the USA in the 2.4mR class at the previous Worlds in Australia. He could be the first to qualify a country in two classes. I was part of the team which qualified the USA in the Sonar class for the 2004 Athens Games, it would be a great honor to do it again. Our goal is to win the Worlds.

After the Worlds we’ll take a week and a half off to rest, then head to Newport on September 27th to begin our final preparations for the Trials which are October 1-12.

I’m very excited to enter this phase of the campaign. It’s the home stretch to qualify to go to China. It will be intensely competitive, stressful and intensely rewarding. As the regattas ramp up, you can expect to hear from me more regularly with progress reports.

I just heard the Olympic Theme on TV, and I got goosebumps. I can’t wait to get on the plane to China, but we have some work to do first!

Thank you for your ongoing support, and thanks for reading!