Michelle Slade

“I’m good at boat speed and staying fast and also my legs are strong so when it’s windy I can hike all the way out – I’ve been working on that for a long time!” Opti sailor Storm Husky Kim smiles. “The things I’m not so good at and need to work on are light wind and heavy wind tacks, and handling the boat in really heavy conditions.”

For this 12-year-old from Noe Valley, San Francisco, sailing is the thing he looks forward to every day. A 7^th grader at the International School of San Francisco, he was just 8 when he started at the Peninsula Youth Sailing Foundation (PYSF) in Redwood City. His dad, Walter, got him involved even though sailing wasn’t something that the family really did.

“We felt like it would be a good thing for us to do,” Walter notes. “I was somewhat interested in sailing but Storm definitely spent much more time at it and really liked it from the start.”

Husky Kim recently took 3rd at the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA) Asian and Oceanian Championship (a continental level regatta) held in Oman competing against 176 kids registered from 26 countries. His goal going into the event was to get top 10. Husky Kim raced well over four days of fleet racing where the young sailors were divided into three flights.

“I was super proud of myself as it was a really big event and really close racing; I actually tied with the person who got second but they won the tie breaker,” Husky Kim said. “They were all really good at roll tacks as well as being really fast but the conditions were good for me. It was also a fun experience just to go explore the country, my sailing friends from back home were all there which made it more fun.”

Husky Kim has stayed with the sport because he enjoys the racing aspect; he’s doing well in all of the local California regattas he competes in. He is coached by Jack Barton who runs Best Coast Sailing (BCS), a private group out of Richmond, CA. Storm joined Barton’s group a few years ago; sailing from the Richmond marina is close to the Berkeley Circle and being close to that venue was important to Husky Kim.

“I’m sailing the whole time – on the weekends I go to Richmond to practice,” Husky Kim notes. “I think it is the competition part of sailing that is exciting to me, and I have made lots of friends in sailing. I also like learning about sail trim and weather – I’m definitely interested in knowing about where the wind is and climate in the world – it’s fun!”

Husky Kim’s parents are happy supporters of their son’s sailing adventures. They’re enjoying the regatta travel even though it can be overwhelming.

“It’s a lot of travel but it’s really nice to visit all of these places – a lot of the venues are on the water and beautiful so enjoyable for a parent too but it really is every weekend and school vacation when Storm is either practicing locally or traveling for clinics or regattas,” Walter commented. “He does miss some school to go to certain competitions but it’s great to see him really engaged with the sport, he listens to his coach and considers the learnings after races so I feel like he’s learning the skill of how to put effort into something and get better at it. The fact that he is doing well in these competitions of course also feels really great and for a kid to be able to spend their time on the water in nature and being outside, I’m happy about it!”

Husky Kim’s next international event is the International Palamos Optimist Trophy in Palamos, Spain February 11-15. His goal for this regatta is to be more consistent on the racecourse.

“I was consistent in Oman but I could be more consistent – I would like to do well in every race and not do it high risk,” Husky Kim explained. “My roll tacks are good but they could be better – most people don’t have really good roll tacks! I’m fast at boat speed so while I may not have a good roll tack but I still can catch up because I’m fast.”

At the end of the day, however, he’s content at home on San Francisco Bay and perhaps moving into the 420 down the road.

“Sailing in San Francisco is really good, I really like sailing here,” Husky Kim smiles. “There are a perfect number of waves, it’s never not windy enough and it’s always fun when I go out there. I’m looking forward to getting into a 420 – I feel like those are going to be good and they have a 420 team in the high school at my school.”

Oman Final Results:
https://2025asianoceanians.optiworld.org/en/default/races/race-resultsall

Storm Husky Kim is a St Francis Sailing Foundation grantee.

Catching up with Daniela Moroz is always an upbeat and inspiring occasion. The effervescent 24-year-old Bay Area local recently raced the 2025 Formula Kite Foil Championship held in Cagliari, Italy securing yet another podium finish: this year a silver medal to add to her collection of six world titles. Lately, she’s taken up residence in Seal Beach, California, to be close to the proposed racecourses for the LA2028 Olympic Games…and to spend some time figuring out if another Olympic quad is in her future.

MS: You were unsure if you wanted to do another quad? What changed?
DM: The idea of having to go through such a significant weight gain process again wasn’t appealing, and I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to do all that work only for the final series to be kind of subjective at the end based on what happened last year (Ed note: reference to Moroz taking fourth in the 2024 Olympic Games after questionable umpiring calls in the medal race).

MS: What motivated you to sign up for the Worlds?
DM: I realized that I had nothing to lose and a lot to learn. After the Long Beach OCR (Olympic Classes Regatta) in July, I started to feel a spark and excitement to race again. I didn’t know where I’d be but I knew if I did the Worlds I needed to put some time in so I went to the UK for three weeks to train with the Brits prior to the event which was fun, we had a great group and it was really productive. We sailed in all kinds of conditions and I finally got time on new kites.

MS: Equipment is your friend in this game; talk about the new foil you are using.
DM: I got to Cagliari a week before racing in the Worlds started. I hadn’t received the new Chubanga carbon hydrofoil yet which was supposed to be way faster. I was definitely struggling with speed when I was training with the Brits who were on that foil. My racing felt really good but my speed felt off pace. I thought that once I got on the new foil I would be competitive with them at least. The priority for that first week in Italy was to make sure my board and foil were optimized to the new foil. It was tricky because the new foil is very different with way more lift. It was a lot of effort to make it work with my current board – most people would get new boards to go with the foil – it was a little bit stressful but we got it done.

MS: Did you notice a difference with the new foil?
DM: I felt really good once I started kiting on the new foil. My speed was solid and I felt excited to be racing again.

MS: How did it feel to be back on the racecourse in international competition?
DM: Racing in the Worlds started and I had some really good moments but I had only been kiting some 30 days since the end of the 2024 Olympics, mainly since OCR, so I was a bit rusty. I was third at one point in the qualifying series then in the last couple of days the conditions were really tough and I dropped down to 7^th. Going into the quarter finals I needed to make top 2 in 2 races to make it to the finals. I won my first race then won my second race to move into the final. I was super stoked because that meant I could potentially be in the top 4.

What was your strategy?
DM: Going into the quarter finals there was nothing for me to lose. I felt really confident in the 4-boat short course style racing as I had trained with that type of racing a ton with the British team in our pre-Worlds training camp so my confidence in that format was really high. That day happened to be my favorite conditions – offshore, super windy and gusty and I was on an 11m kite. I was in my element and all I had to do was execute. After I won the quarter finals, that gave me a huge confidence boost for the semis and then again for the finals. I managed to keep the pressure on to end up tied with first going into the final race – that was super crazy!

MS: You finished 2^nd with silver. How did that feel?
DM: For me, just to be there in Cagliari racing, enjoying the contest and the training was already such a huge personal success so to also have a result like that was cool. Jessie (Kampman/NED) was so fast and so consistent all week so I was really happy for her to win. To beat the gold (Eleanor Aldridge/GBR) and silver medalist (Lauriane Nolot/FRA) from the 2024 Olympics, and noting that the bronze medalist (Annelous Lammerts/NED) has retired from racing was the cherry on top.

MS: Would you agree that drawing on what you have learned from the past quad has been invaluable?
DM: A big thing for me is that I want to enjoy the process more, I want to trust myself more especially my own process because last quad I think I worked myself hard when it wasn’t always necessary. I wish I had taken more breaks; I traveled a ton. In this quad I want to travel less and spend more time at home in Seal Beach.

MS: How are you enjoying the benefits of living at Seal Beach?
DM: I love it here. Everything is nearby, Alamitos Bay Yacht Club which I joined, people to train with, the café where I go every morning with Nala my new puppy. Having that routine and home base is going to be important for me. I want to take time to do other things which I know will help me mentally and will also help with my kite foiling, like surf foiling which is mostly what I have been doing this year – it’s great cross-training. It is also nice to have made a group of friends and a community here outside of sailing – they don’t know anything about sailing!

MS: How does surf foiling help your kiting?
DM: With kiting you rely on the kite a lot for lift and to control the foil but in surf foiling you don’t have the kite so you really have to have good balance and board handling technique – when you are surfing all your weight is on the foil. It’s taught me a lot about board management skills which is helpful.

MS: Now you have a real job – how are you working that in your schedule?
DM: I didn’t want to finish the LA2028 Games only having been an athlete my whole life. This year when I knew I wouldn’t be training full-time was the perfect time to explore life outside of kiting and sailing. The job evolved naturally – it’s an amazing job – marketing for a tech start up – and it works with my schedule so nicely. The CEO is a kiter and very supportive of my goals, as is the whole management team, so it is working really well. I work part-time and remotely; I finish work around 2pm so I can train in the afternoon. It also gives me something else to focus on and challenge me in a totally different way – it works me mentally which I appreciate. It’s also nice having a paycheck coming in which helps pay my rent!

MS: What’s next?
DM: This winter I will be training in Mexico before Xmas and again in February when I’ll do a training camp there with some of the Brits. I’ll race the 2026 Princess Sofía Regatta at the end of March in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, then the Formula Kite World Championship in Portugal in May. I’ll skip Hyeres and spend the time at home in the gym to maintain my routine and consistency – it’s a priority –  then I’ll join training camps with others whenever I can.

Follow Daniela and donate to her bid for LA 2028 at Danielamoroz.com/donate

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The St. Francis Sailing Foundation (StFSF) is pleased to announce a new strategic partnership with America One Racing (A1R), marking a significant investment in the future of high-performance sailing in the United States. Under the terms of this new partnership, StFSF will provide both substantial financial and strategic support to A1R, supporting the development of world-class athletes in the USA.

The St. Francis Sailing Foundation has a long history of supporting sailors, from promising youth competitors to Olympic medalists. Traditionally, the Foundation’s support has focused on financial grants, enabling athletes to pursue their dreams, but it has not directly engaged in training, coaching or team development. The partnership with America One Racing represents a new chapter that will leverage A1R’s comprehensive athlete support, including coaching, sports science, teamwork, financial support and leadership development.

“This partnership with America One Racing represents an exciting new chapter for the St. Francis Sailing Foundation and for sailors with the highest competitive aspirations,” StFSF President Elizabeth Little said. “We are proud to support a program that provides comprehensive resources to our athletes, while continuing our commitment to youth and community sailing.”

StFSF has great confidence in America One Racing’s leadership, particularly Paul Cayard, Director of A1R who is also a longtime advisor and supporter of StFSF. A1R is demonstrating that holistic support for athletes can elevate U.S. sailors to success at the highest levels of international competition.

In addition to supporting A1R’s Project Podium and Foiling Pathway, StFSF will continue its broader mission to foster development, excellence and inclusiveness in sailing. StFSF will maintain its investment in community sailing initiatives and local development programs, with a particular focus on supporting young sailors and Olympic hopefuls from the San Francisco Bay Area.

“We are honored to have St. Francis Sailing Foundation join the A1R Team. We appreciate their commitment to support our dedicated athletes as they pursue success at the highest levels of our sport,” Cayard noted.

The St. Francis Sailing Foundation is a 501c(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting sailors at all levels, from youth and community programs to Olympic aspirants and medalists.

America One Racing is dedicated to developing high-potential sailors and preparing them for success on the world stage.

For more information about this announcement, please contact:

• StFSF President Elizabeth Little: president@stfsf.org
• Advisor and Past President Carolyn Patrick: 415-888-8951
• America One Racing: squad@americaoneracing.us

Racing on San Francisco Bay home waters this week in the Casa Vela Cup, the first stop of the six-event series of the 2025 Women’s World Match Racing Tour (WWMRT), 4-time US Women’s Match Racing Champion Nicole Breault and her talented crew will be among the top teams to watch. The Tour returns to the US after taking a break in 2024 when the inaugural Women’s America’s Cup and other key events drew the attention of top ranked women sailors.

The Women’s World Match Racing Tour (WWMRT) was launched in 2022 to continue the legacy of the Women’s International Match Racing Series that built upon the success of women’s match racing in the London 2012 Olympic Games. Breault has always felt excited to race in these top tier events, as they are always a great opportunity to see where she and her teammates stack up against top women match racers around the world.

“I really respect the level of competition they bring while keeping such a positive vibe,” Breault said. “I’ve made some good friends over the years racing these events, and this week we are excited for the return of the Casa Vela Cup to San Francisco.”

McKenzie crewing for Molly Carapiet in 2025 NYYC Women’s 2v2

On the challenge of putting her team together for the Casa Vela Cup, Breault explained, “I have a big network and pretty much love all the people with whom I have ever raced. For this team I cast a net out to sailors with the right skills and size, but also the ability to do as much of the racing this year as possible; I wanted to build a team for the Tour with good chemistry and consistency.”

Breault’s team for Casa Vela Cup includes Molly O’Bryan Vandemoer, McKenzie Wilson, and Hailey Thompson.

“Molly’s an Olympian in match racing, and I love having her steady, solid tactical calls in my ear,” Breault smiled. “McKenzie was a college kid at Stanford when we first sailed together on our J/105. We match raced in Russia 10 years ago at the Nations Cup – she’s really good energy and athletic.”

Thompson was in high school when Breault identified her raw talent and drive.

Hailey on helm, Nicole & Molly crewing, 2023 USWMR Championship

“After Hailey crewed for me a couple of times, we decided she would helm the 2023 season, and she won bronze at the USWMRC in Annapolis! She’s fantastic and will be a pillar of the team.”

Four contenders racing this week include skippers Pauline Courtois (France), Anna Östling (Sweden), Julia Aartsen (Netherlands) and Kenza Coutard (France), all ranked in the top six among women. Breault will also face 4-time US Women’s Match Racing Champion (and current title holder) Allie Blecher (Los Angeles, Calif.)

“Allie just sailed the Congressional Cup with me as my tactician – she’s a super good friend and match racing rival here in the US,” Breault said. “We love racing together and against each other. Her team is strong with lots of ambition.”

Blecher is sailing with Beka Schiff, Alana Marks, and Martha Parker.

“Beka and I have sailed together for ten years now; Alana and I have sailed together on and off over the last five and ten years – the three of us went to the College of Charleston together at varying times so we have a past,”Blecher explained. “Martha has also sailed with us so I think as a team we will stack up okay. I’m not setting any expectations by any means. We’re out there to use it as a practice with our sights on the Worlds later in the year.”

In recent years Blecher’s racing focus has been offshore racing, notably TransPac, in addition to match racing and big, yacht club style challenge races. While her practice time will be limited to Tuesday prior to the event, that’s how it plays out with her team scattered around the country.

“Our practice days tend to be the day before the regatta unfortunately, but we make it work,” Blecher smiled. “I have sailed against a bunch of the main players who will be competing and it’s nice to see some new players come in, fueling the next generation.”

Nicole & Molly 2023 Casa Vela Cup mark rounding

Match racing events are hosted by venues that provide equally matched boats. The size of a Club fleet is one of the limiting factors on how many teams can attend. The St Francis Yacht Club can host a high-profile international event like the Casa Vela Cup with 10 teams because of its 13-strong fleet of J/22s. The St Francis Sailing Foundation helped to establish this fleet expressly for match and team racing and to bolster the Club’s participation in hosting marquis regattas in these disciplines of the sport. Later this summer, the StFYC will host the 2025 US Women’s Match Racing Championship.

To fund a WWMRT event is costly compared to an internationally ranked fleet race regatta when fifty to a hundred or more boats may show up. While both require the host club to fly international umpires and race officers to the venue, in match racing there are only ten entry fees to amortize the costs. The St Francis Sailing Foundation has extended a grant to assist this year’s Casa Vela Cup.

“We were able to lower the entry fee per skipper with the Foundation grant which helps us bring in the best skippers from all over the world – we’re on a tight budget – as are the competitors – so everyone appreciates that assistance,” Bruce Stone, Regatta Chair, noted. “We’re expecting some exciting competition among tough sailors who do a lot of racing. The high-wind venue, of course, is the perfect place to showcase all their boat-handling and match racing talents.”

This year, Breault plans to do the three US events in the 2025 Tour: San Francisco (Casa Vela Cup), Annapolis (Santa Maria Cup), and Chicago (World Sailing Women’s Match Racing Championship), and possibly the Bermuda Gold Cup. Two European events will be held, one in France and another in Sweden.

“It’s really fun to be part of the whole process and especially to advocate for the newer sailors to get into the game,” Breault commented. “I’ve always worn two hats, one helping other sailors who are reaching toward their goals – maybe coaching a little or crewing for them – meanwhile I wear the hat of a competitor too. There’s a switch that flips in me when I’m racing and you’ll see the competitive part of me just come out.”

The Casa Vela Cup runs May 28-31, and will be sailed off the St Francis Yacht Club in J/22s, with great spectator viewing from Crissy Field and the race deck at the St Francis Yacht Club. https://womenswmrt.com/events/casa-vela-cup-2025/

Feature Image: Nicole & Molly Casa Vela Cup 2023
Images: Courtesy Nicole Breault & US Sailing

Long-time St Francis Sailing Foundation grantee Alameda Community Sailing Center (ACSC) has preparations for a busy 2025 in the works. The addition of a fleet of six 420s opens up new opportunities for the center, especially for teen sailors eager to build their skills, notes Emily Zugnoni, ACSC program director.

“This is the first year that we are starting off with a fleet of 420s, so we are hoping to do a bit more advanced team sailing, getting the spinnakers out, using the trapeze more regularly for our teen sailors,” Zugnoni said. “Last year we weren’t able to do a whole lot of that because we didn’t have many instructors with US Sailing Level 2 instructor certification but this year we are putting a whole group of our instructors through Level 2 training who will be qualified to teach more advanced sailing.”

In 2024, ACSC put some 600 people through its various programs, kids and adults, and this year is hoping to get 600 juniors alone through its mix of summer camps and after-school sailing programs in spring and fall.

“We’re focused on doing more of what we have been doing and doing it well,” Zugnoni said. “We’re aiming to get our weekend learn-to-sail classes which we have done for years running every weekend or multiple classes on one weekend whereas in the past maybe we managed one a month or every other weekend.”

Single day adventure sails set the scene for sailors to prepare for destination sailing, whether it be on a Sail Cube or FJ, and ACSC sailors can look forward to more of those this season planned for summer camps and after-school programs as well as on weekends. Each adventure sail will be organized accordingly for a different age group; a nearby sail for the 7–12-year-old sailors, maybe over Treasure Island for the 11-14 years Feva sailors, and something further afield for the teens and adults sailing FJs.

“We always have a few adventure days sprinkled in where we sail from ASCS to lunch at some other destination – sail there and sail home – we’ll start doing them on weekends and may call them Sunday Fundays,” Zugnoni smiled.

A full community-based organization, each ACSC program has a different tuition rate, for example, a two-week summer camp comprising ten full days costs $1155, a standard camp cost for aquatic / sailing camps although Zugnoni notes that ACSC programs offer more time than others. After-school sailing ranges from $300-$600 for a six-week program depending on how many days are attended.

ACSC continues to grow with more staff, more boats, more participants, with people learning about its awesome waterfront venue in Alameda and its programming word of mouth as well as through camp fairs and the Alameda Parks & Recs catalog. Outreach to specific groups who ACSC feels will benefit from sailing experiences often results in scholarship offerings to these groups with good retention. One challenge that the organization currently faces is growing its Board of Directors, Zugnoni acknowledges.

“We had a lot of solid volunteers who had been with us since the get-go and it’s time to bring in some new faces so we’re looking for people who want to volunteer a lot of time and who may want to join the board.”

Zugnoni has been in her current ACSC role for six years starting as an instructor with ACSC 11 years ago. She grew up sailing with her grandpa who taught her that sailing doesn’t have to be complicated, and she’s proud that this attitude is one that ACSC has nurtured over the years as part of its culture.

“Grandpa was always a less-polished kind of sailor who always taught me that sailing doesn’t have to be so formal, anybody can do it, you don’t have to wear a specific outfit or act a certain way, sailing is for everyone, so seeing that we have been able to maintain that approach at ACSC and grow that makes me happy – it makes the sport more inviting!”

Interested in volunteering or a board role at Alameda Community Sailing Center? Reach out to Zugnoni at emilyzugnoni@gmail.com.

A long-time St Francis Sailing Foundation grantee, Sausalito-based Call of the Sea had an epic 2024, in fact, it’s been its strongest year yet according to Elizabeth Hunt, Director of Advancement. “We served more children than ever before – over 5,000, we also offered 2000 scholarships, many more than previously, with 54% of the schools we work with served through scholarships, something we’re very proud of,” Hunt commented.  “75% of the people who received scholarships were people of color and many of them were first nation and immigrant families with English as a second language. This year our goal is 2500 scholarships and we’re working hard toward that end.”

Hunt added, “One of the coolest things about this past year was the ability to serve more kids from farther away – we’re trying to do that more with help from foundations who have been supporting bus transportation subsidies, for example. We have great partnerships with groups like Oakland Goes Outdoors, relationships that really help us to serve those kids who are high need.”

COTS serves people from the entire Bay area including schools in Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Marin County, San Francisco, San Mateo, Napa, Sonoma County, the Sierra foothills, Yuba River, Sacramento and even Utah where dedicated teachers want to bring their students to experience the Bay, Hunt noted. COTS caters mostly to 4^th-5^th graders through its traditional school program but covers the spectrum of ages from middle, high school, and university students and, increasingly, more adult sessions through specialized workshops including its Aloft Seamanship sailing program which is like an advanced ropes course program.

This year all COTS workshops will be conducted as overnighters, an experience also suitable for families and people who have aged out of COTS summer camps: scholarship and non-scholarship slots are available. The Sea Scouts participated in valuable three-day sessions last summer, including a group from Utah who visit every other year – they’re hosted on the submarine USS Pampanito and at COTS participate in an advanced seamanship and navigation program where they work on voyage planning, learning about the currents and the tides and all the things that go into planning a successful sailing trip.

The pride of COTS is its two ships – the Seaward, an 82’ classic staysail schooner built in 1988, and the brigantine Matthew Turner, a 132’ traditional wooden tall ship built in 2017 to serve as an experiential learning platform for Bay Area youth. In 2024, COTS also operated its ships more than ever before with 240+ sails throughout the year, sometimes heading out on the Bay twice a day. The Seaward has made the trip to Mexico fourteen years in a row partnering with Camp Sea Lab (Santa Barbara) who hire the ship, sign up their campers and provide the naturalists while COTS provides the vessel and seamanship aspect. A voyage is scheduled in late August to Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay on the Matthew Turner, in addition to its busy San Francisco Bay schedule.

“The Matthew Turner has been super busy this past year and we are working on upgrades for next year because we want to make it more suitable for voyaging,” Hunt said. “We are seeking support for items like a water maker, and her sails have now been under the sun for many days since they were first built in 2017 so they need to be upgraded. We’ve had a lot of work to do on the electrical propulsion system, re-wiring as we figure out loads etc., as our power system must be good enough to be offshore for more than a few days.”

In 2024, COTS gained a new executive director – Carla Thorson – the organization’s first ever female executive director who came from the World Affairs Council, and the Commonwealth Club after 20 years of leading programs there. Hunt joined the COTS team last June also coming from a not-for-profit background most recently working with TechSoup. She’s from a local sailing family; her husband owns Modern Sailing based in Sausalito and she’s thrilled to share her passion for education, the environment and sailing in her new role at COTS.

“We are increasingly trying to get more dedicated support in conservation projects because of our strong emphasis on advancing the next generation of ocean conservationists through our programming,” Hunt said.

Another COTS objective, notes Hunt, is to launch a dedicated workforce development apprenticeship program to support folks interested in the maritime industry to benefit COTS crew for their long-term careers but also to support interns from Cal Maritime who want sea time. She’s hopeful that long-time supporters PASHA and Matson Shipping, who supported the build of the Matthew Turner, will partner in this goal.

COTS would not operate without its dedicated volunteers. Typically, volunteers join the team by helping out on sailing trips where they can develop the required skills or by taking COTS’ once-a-month Aloft program that includes dockside training and a two-hour sail. A long-standing crew of volunteers have been with the organization since the Matthew Turner was built and many still continue to assist with ship maintenance.

As with most not for profits, the fund-raising drive is continually on the go. 50% of COTS funding comes from donations with approximately 90% of that derived from individual contributions. The organization is fortunate to have a major angel donor who has supported COTS extremely well over the years and who they are working with to diversify and support to find additional donors at that level.

“The level of individual contributions is fantastic as is the volunteer commitment – so many are donors and volunteers,” Hunt said. “In the last year we had 200 days donated of sailing volunteer time which really helps us to achieve our goal of serving 6,000 kids this year. Demand is higher than ever!”

ABOUT CALL OF THE SEA
Call of the Sea (COTS) was founded in 1985 by Alan Olson and a group of local sailors to provide Bay Area youth an opportunity to sail traditionally rigged vessels and to learn about the marine environment as well as maritime history — while inspiring them to be stewards of the sea and earth. In 2004 COTS was re-founded with Ken Neal along with a new group of committed sailors who came together to purchase the schooner Seaward. Subsequently over the past ten years, Seaward has served over 50,000 students and now sails with an average of 5,000+ students per year. In January 2015 COTS merged with Educational Tall Ship Inc. (ETS), the organization constructing the 132′ wooden hybrid, propulsion system tall ship Matthew Turner in Sausalito. Matthew Turner was launched in 2017, US Coast Guard certified in 2020 and now serves, along with Seaward,  as a floating classroom for students and the community, serving Northern California and beyond. https://callofthesea.org/

US Sailing recently announced the winners of the prestigious 2024 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards. Ian Barrows and Hans Henken were named the Rolex Yachtsmen of the Year, while Cole Brauer has been named the Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year. The winners were honored earlier today at an awards ceremony during the US Sailing Awards Ceremony at the 2025 US Sailing Leadership Forum in Coronado, California. The selection process involved a vote by past Rolex Award winners and prominent members of the sailing media.

StFYC member Hans Henken and his skipper Ian Barrows secured a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in the Men’s Two-Person Skiff – the 49er, breaking an eight-year Olympic medal drought for the United States. Despite weather delays that added stress to their final medal race, the duo executed a remarkable performance, clinching the bronze medal on the final leg of the race.

“The St. Francis Sailing Foundation’s unwavering support during this past quad was pivotal in my Olympic journey,” Henkens stated. “Their quarterly grants made it possible to campaign effectively, focusing my time and energy to training on the water, which ultimately led to winning a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. I am deeply grateful for their belief and investment in my dreams and in the future of sailing in the United States for many generations to come.”

Following their Olympic success, Henken has returned to the roster of the USA SailGP Team, serving as a flight controller and grinder. Barrows joined the coaching staff at the College of Charleston, where he continues to inspire and develop future sailing talent. Their resilience and skill on the international stage have earned them recognition as the best in American sailing for 2024.

Congratulations Hans and Ian from all of us at the St Francis Sailing Foundation!

The St. Francis Sailing Foundation is proud of its grantees, past and present, and all that they accomplish, paving a way for other sailors. Former StFSF grantee, committee member and Olympian Helena Scutt is just home from what she describes as a “time-of-my-life year.” Here, Scutt reflects on the challenges and the joys she experienced sailing with the first-ever US Women’s America’s Cup Team and as a Mechatronics Engineer for the US AC team, American Magic.

Just before the US America’s Cup women’s team geared up to sail the AC40 on their own, after months of simulator training at American Magic’s Barcelona base, a crew shuffle occurred. Their designated on-water training slot, from mid-June to mid-August, didn’t work for Steph Roble’s Olympic campaign or Anna Weis’s SailGP commitments, so Louisa Nordstrom joined the team and the work began. Training in Badalona, 30 minutes away from the American Magic base, there was plenty to do to get up to speed, literally, on the AC40.

“Initially time was spent learning things like safety training,” Scutt explained. “We had a bunch of sessions in the pool learning how to use the spare air, how to crane the boat in and out of the water, how to step the mast on the boat, even before we got to go sailing.”

Olympian Helena Scutt with American Magic team-mate with fellow Olympian Erika Reineke. Credit: Courtesy HScutt

With just nine weeks of training available, the main constraint on their sailing time—and common across all the teams—turned out to be battery life. So many of the vessel’s systems are automated and heavy use—such as anytime the sail or traveler were adjusted significantly or the autopilot trimmed the foil flaps—left the batteries drained in an hour and a half. And when conditions were rough, more energy was consumed.

“We felt very time-constrained because not only were our sailing days limited and shared with the youth team, but on any given sailing day we had two sets of batteries so only about three hours of sailing to split between the two teams,” Scutt said.

During the Women’s America’s Cup regatta, Scutt was an alternate trimmer and made keen observations from the coach boat. Wanting to avoid wasting valuable battery life plus the uncertainty of when officials would start a race, there was sometimes as few as five minutes to warm up before a race sequence began, she noted.

“You needed a carefully planned strategy not just for your approach to the start line, but the overall choreography required getting there so that you could minimize your maneuvers and time the approach to the start correctly. It was a massive learning experience on all fronts.”

Scutt notes that the AC40 is challenging to sail if you’re good, but really challenging to race and sail well.

“The AC40 is challenging to sail if you’re good, but really challenging to race and sail well.” Quote & credit: HScutt

“The boat can be relatively stable in a straight line, but then add all of the settings to manage, the maneuvers, the boundary racing, and the speed at which things happen with other boats on the course—it’s hard to appreciate the complexity of the boat until you have sailed it,” she said. “Each of the four people on board directly affects performance. They have to be so in sync with each other.”

Scutt added, “I was super impressed with all of the women’s teams, especially with the two finalists. It was also incredible what the invited teams accomplished with so little time in the boat. That was a huge task—they were allotted just four days before the event, I believe, two of which were either too light or too windy.”

About the two finalists, the highly polished Italian and British teams, Scutt commented that it was notable both were comprised of skiff sailors, and had the benefit of skilled leadership.

“The racing is a lot like skiff racing; both teams had clear leaders with Hannah Mills (GBR) and Giulia Conti (ITA) who have done at least three or four Olympics each,” Scutt noted. “It showed, together with their solid team culture, they were truly racing the boats and picking up on the shifts before other teams. I think these elements were a huge part of their success and will only become more important.”

Scutt has not had much personal time on the water this past year so she's embracing her next adventure: the Moth Worlds in New Zealand in January.

“I am really excited to go Moth sailing where I still have so much to learn in that class,” Scutt enthused. “Sailing the AC40 really makes you appreciate the whole team that’s involved, from the boat builders to the electronics experts and more, and it makes me appreciate sailing my Moth and being independent. Sailing is very cool because of both those experiences—there is nothing like sailing an AC40 over 40 knots with three other people, but there is also nothing like having the mainsheet and tiller in your hand and doing your own thing. I like both sides of it.”

Donations to the sailing athletes and community programs that the Foundation supports are possible through funds raised at StFSF’s Annual Auction, scheduled for March 25, 2025, with Paul Cayard as Honorary Auction Chair. The largest contribution to the Foundation came from the estate of member and Staff Commodore Tom Allen in his trust. Please consider a tax-deductible gift to the St. Francis Sailing Foundation in your will or trust. If you or your attorney needs information, call Treasurer Greg Meagher at 510-541-2543.

Pam Healy  won a bronze medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, in the 470 class together with JJ Fetter. She learned to sail growing up in the Bay Area in her yellow El Toro named “Woodstock” alongside the likes of sailing legend John Kostecki at the Richmond Yacht Club where she met her husband, Craig Healy. She joined the St. Francis Yacht Club as a Junior Member in 1983 and In 1983, she joined St. Francis Yacht Club as a Junior Member and she has been nominated for the role of Rear Commodore in 2025.

Healy is a member of US Sailing’s Board of Directors and took on the role of Organizing Authority for the domestic Trials in Miami which occurred this past January and February. Her responsibility was to report to US Sailing and the USOPC (United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee) to ensure the Trial events were held at USOPC standards. She also organized the 68 volunteers for the January Trials and 45 volunteers in February, crucial to the Trials’ success. With the Paris Olympics done and dusted, as well as the past few years of upheaval at US Sailing, Healy reflects on the recent Olympic quad with a view to LA2028.

JJ Fetter & Pam Healy: Bronze Medalists & great friends

“Working as the Organizing Authority for the domestic Trials was a 2-1/2-year project for me and I didn’t realize how much work it was until it was over, I was buried!” laughs Healy. “We brought in people from all over the country  and involved as many women as we could; I was really proud of how many women we had on the water running races. It was great to learn who can really handle this kind of regatta pressure and who is ready for LA2028, because we’ll be needing them; we really have a talented group of people in this country who can do this work.”

Healy commented on the success of running domestic Trials for the first time in many years.

“There is an argument for domestic Trials and having everyone meet the pressure of just that one competition,” notes Healy. “I saw how high the pressure was; the fleets were small and the competition really unforgiving. It was beneficial for the athletes because they had never sailed like that before. It’s a little exclusive to have the Trials abroad because you won’t grow the depth in a class – you’ll end up with just a handful of decent sailors. For example, in the 470 class there are a lot of kids who are young and who don’t have the funding right now, but they were at the Trials earlier this year giving everyone a go-around at the marks, they weren’t far off the pace, but they would never have been able to go to abroad to race an Olympic qualifying series.”

These past Games have been the first time since her own campaign, other than helping her husband with his 2000 Olympic effort in the Soling, that Healy has been involved in Olympic sailing although she has been instrumental in assisting with the Olympic Development Program over the past years. Healy’s good-humored observations of how different the experience was back in her day highlights how much easier it should be for athletes competing at the elite level today.

“Sailing competitors today may think a campaign is so much work and so much time; looking back, we did not have half of the amenities and resources they have available to them now like cell phones, cash machines, or even Google!” smiles Healy. “We would arrive in Europe and our boats wouldn’t be there; we wouldn’t know when the container was arriving. Competitors today just have so much more communication available to them. Fundraising has been facilitated by social media which athletes can take advantage of and can appeal to people who know little about sailing to donate to their campaigns. It was also more difficult for women when I was campaigning; women expect to be treated differently today as they should be, and there is a difference in the way that their male counterparts treat them, it is much more respectful, and you never hear any undertones of inclusiveness.”

As a spectator this year and with no official duties, Healy got to enjoy the Games alongside many friends in Marseille supporting Team USA, as well observe the positives that will serve future US sailing athletes rolling into LA 2028.

“It was heart-warming to see so many St Francis Yacht club members in Marseille supporting our sailors,” says Healy. “While the racing wasn’t too exciting to watch because there wasn’t much wind, there were many USA fans and family members rallying and supporting their athletes. I was impressed to see in action that the athlete voice is top of mind and that’s how the USOPC wants it, as it is in all sports. US Sailing is coming out of the dark ages on its approach to elite sailing competition and acting in the best interests of the whole athlete. I wish our sailors had done better this year, but I feel good about how the program worked, how the support systems worked and the communication. They were united and had an amazing collective experience, great team cohesiveness.”

Nonetheless, it is no secret that there is room for improvement in order for US sailing athletes to do well in 2028, and Healy places an emphasis on working together and training as a quad as key components for success.

“Leading up to the Trials I saw how the 49er class was excellent at working together as was the iQ Foil class; sailing together, sharing information, sharing settings, and talking to each other,” says Healy. “You have to rely on your teammates, and you have to make each other faster. It was impressive during the Trials watching Charlie Mckee (coach to bronze medalists in the 49er Ian Barrows and Hans Henken) gather all the 49er sailors around a picnic table – they wouldn’t talk about who tacked on who or who won the start, they talked about what each other’s’ settings were, how they were approaching the race etc. I also see it in the ILCA 6 class where there is a nice women’s quad developing. Naturally, in the last couple of months you are allowed to be selfish and on your own program but we’re not going to get the best result as a country if we don’t all work together. Everyone needs to be of that frame of mind, you have to buy into the whole program and be part of the US Sailing Team. We have good potential in some classes, but success can’t be achieved in a vacuum.”

On Healy’s wish-list for LA2028 is to see the positive energy generated this year in Olympic sailing continue to gather momentum and focus on a full team effort because as she well understands, thinking you can win at the Games all by yourself is unrealistic.

“Seeing everyone work together, get behind our representatives on the team and ensuring that we get some top finishes in the classes where we are strongest, that would be so great for our program,” comments Healy. “I think we can do it in several of the classes with everyone working together. There is a ground swell happening within the ODP under ODP Manager Rosie Chapman’s direction and everyone involved feels like they are part of a movement, part of a culture. If you get second in the Trials and the representative gets a medal, you know you are a piece of that medal; let’s bring back that national team spirit!”

Pam Healy is a board member of the St Francis Sailing Foundation (StFSF), and her Olympic sailing partner JJ Fetter sits on the Foundation committee. StFSF was proud to assist recent Olympians including club members Hans Henken, Daniela Moroz and Markus Edegran with fundraising in this past quad. Donations by the Foundation are possible through funds raised at STFSF’s annual Auction which is scheduled for March 4, 2025.

The largest contribution to the Foundation came from the estate of member and Staff Commodore Tom Allen in his trust. Please consider a tax-deductible gift to the St. Francis Sailing Foundation in your will or trust. If you or your attorney needs information, call Treasurer Greg Meagher at 510-541-2543.