Charlotte Rose
October 22, 2021
Latest News
Evan Heffernan
October 19, 2021
Hoel Menard
January 25, 2021
Charlotte Versavel
January 25, 2021
Maggie Shea and Stephanie Roble
April 17, 2020
Maggie and Stephanie teamed up for the 2020 Olympic Games in the 49er FX.
Hans Henken and Ian Barrows
February 4, 2020
Bronze Medal, Olympics 2024
49er Skiff
Tor Svendsen
January 29, 2020
Daniela Moroz
January 31, 2017
Daniela Moroz
I grew up around the sport of windsurfing. My parents were both competitive racers that consistently raced out of Crissy Field in StFYC sponsored events and some national races as well. My dad picked up kitesurfing in 2006. I was about 5 years old at the time, and I found it very exciting to watch. My mom was still windsurfing. When I was big enough to learn either, I chose kiting. I took lessons and fell in love with the sport.
I got into racing course boards in the fall of 2013. Since then, I’ve switched to foiling, and in 2015 was ranked 2nd in women’s overall in the world tour (right behind my idol and training partner Erika Heineken). I was also top 5 in under 18 and under 21. In 2014, I became a junior member of the StFYC. In 2015, support from the St Francis Sailing Foundation allowed me to compete in my first international event.
I am working towards competing in the 2020 Tokyo summer Olympics for kiting. In the next season, I plan to sail clean and to compete in as many international competitions as my school schedule will allow. I am looking forward to representing the StFYC and StFSF in future local, national, and international events.
Now, I am almost 15 years old and a freshman Campolindo High School in Moraga, California.
Achievements
Kite Foil Gold Cup Mexico – 29th overall, 7th in silver Fleet, 3rd youth, 2nd junior, 2nd women’s
San Francisco Classic – 5th overall, 2nd junior, 1st women’s
Kite Foil Gold Cup San Francisco – 29th overall, 29th in gold fleet, 7th youth, 3rd juniors, 2nd women’s
US Kitefoil Youth Nationals – 3rd overall, 1st women’s
Bluerush Thursday Night Kiteracing Series – 13th overall, 2nd junior, 2nd youth, 2nd women’s
Links
Zach Railey
January 31, 2017
Zach Railey
Two-time Olympian Zach Railey is a well-known U.S. sailor who won a silver medal in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the Finn class.
A three-time US Sailing Sportsman of the Year winner and captain of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team, Railey is an accomplished businessman, in addition to his sailing.
A native of Clearwater, Florida, Zach got started sailing on an Optimist dinghy at the age of 8 when his family dentist suggested he take sailing classes. He qualified for his first World Championship at age 10, and competed in his first International regatta the next year: 1995 Optimist South American Championship in Chile. The rest is history–with more that is yet to be written.
In his words, “Even though only one of us will be selected for the spot at the 2016 Olympics, we all want to be as good as possible so that we can win a medal in 2016. That, in the end, is the goal for the country and to make sure that the USA stays on the top of the medal count in Rio 2016.”
Achievements
2012 US Olympic Team – Sailing (Named Team Captain)
2010, 2009, 2008 US SAILING Sportsman of the Year
2008 Olympic Silver Medalist, Finn
2008 St Francis Yacht Club’s Yachtsman of the Year
2008 Clearwater Yacht Club’s Yachtsman of the Year
2008 Recipient of Key to the City, Clearwater FL
Links
Johnny Heineken
January 31, 2017
Johnny Heineken
I grew up on and around the water. My dad, Paul Heineken, is a windsurfer and sailor, and from a young age I began to follow in his footsteps. When I was 13, he and I began racing a 29er skiff together. In 2005, when I was 16 years old, Matt Noble and I finished 3rd in the 29er World Championship held at the StFYC. Matt and I then moved on to the next level high-performance skiff, the Olympic Class 49er. With the help of the Foundation, we competed in World Championships in Portugal and Australia, as well as the 2007-2008 US Olympic Trials, in which we finished fifth. After that intensive year, it became clear that world level sailing in an Olympic Class and being a full time UCSB mechanical engineering student were incompatible, so I took a hiatus from 49er sailing, while I continued to captain the UCSB sailing team. In 2008, UCSB captured the Pacific Coast College Championship and I received All-PCC Team honors. But racing high-performance sailboats has always been a major part of my life, so once I was introduced to kiteboard course racing, I was hooked. Since then I have had continued success, winning the World Championship in 2011 and 2012, and finishing second out of 111 competitors in 2013. I have been honored with the 2012 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award, and have been a finalist for the 2013 Rolex World Sailor of the Year award.
The most sailing fun I’ve had this past year is learning how to ride a foil kiteboard. The StFYC sponsored the first ever North American Kite Foilboard regatta this fall on the Bay, which I won. My training video has received quite a bit of attention.
In real life, I now work full-time as an engineer with Makani Power, a high-tech startup that was recently purchased by GoogleX. Makani is developing autonomous tethered flying vehicles (kites) to generate electric power. In addition, I work with Chip Wasson and Mike Zajicek on kite board development. Thanks to the St Francis Sailing Foundation, I’ve been able to participate in a number of international events. The Foundation has been crucial in helping me accomplish my sailing goals. I am very grateful.
Achievements
1st Course Racing World Championships 2012 – Cagliari, Italy
1st Ronstan Bridge to Bridge Race 2012 – San Francisco, CA (Course Record time of 14:14)
1st Canadian National Championships 2012 – Squamish, BC
1st North American Championships 2012 – San Francisco, CA
3rd PKRA Germany 2012 – St. Peter Ording, Germany
1st PKRA Turkey 2012 – Burc Beach, Turkey
3rd PKRA France 2012 – Hyeres, France
1st PKRA Mexico 2012 – Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
1st Regatta Copa Mexico 2012 – Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Lord of the Wind Showdown 2012 – Los Barriles, Mexico
1st Course Racing and ”The Showdown” Long Distance Race
2nd Slalom
1st La Ventana Classic 2012 “The Crossing”- La Ventana, Mexico
2nd La Ventana Classic 2012 Course Racing- La Ventana, Mexico
1st La Ventana Slalom Race Series- La Ventana, Mexico
1st of 62, 2011 Course Racing World Championships – Sylt, Germany
1st 2011 PKRA Germany – St. Peter Ording,Germany
1st 2011 North American Championships – San Juan, Puerto Rico
1st Canadian National Championships- Squamish, BC (Open Division)
1st PKRA Mexico 2011-Playa del Carmen
1st La Ventana Classic 2011-“The Crossing”
1st Lord of the Wind 2011- Los Barriles, Baja
1st 2010 PKRA World Cup Racing -Bariloche, Argentina
4th 2010 World Championships -Corpus Christi, TX
6th 2010 North American Championships-Puerto Vallarta
3rd 2009 World Championships-San Francisco