Buckingham, Lepert and Pascual Earn Selection to Rio 2016 U.S. Olympic Team (Sailing)

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 1, 2016

Palma de Mallorca, Spain – American sailors Charlie Buckingham (Newport Beach, Calif.), Marion Lepert (Belmont, Calif.), and Pedro Pascual (Miami, Fla.) have won selection to the Rio 2016 U.S. Olympic Team in the Laser, Women’s RS:X and Men’s RS:X classes, respectively, based on their combined results at January’s Sailing World Cup Miami (January 25-30) in Miami, Florida, USA, and the Trofeo Princesa Sofia (March 25 – April 2) in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. To learn more about the newest Team USA sailors, explore the stories below.

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Men’s Laser:

Laser athlete Charlie Buckingham (Newport Beach, Calif.) has earned selection to the Rio 2016 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team based on the results of the US Sailing Olympic Athlete Selection Series in the men’s one-person dinghy. The Laser North American Champion has been the top U.S. athlete in this class for four years, and has represented the United States at the Pan American Games and during two test events at the 2016 Olympic venue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This will be the first career Olympic Games appearance for Buckingham. FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1RuMFLR

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Women’s RS:X:

RS:X athlete Marion Lepert (Belmont, Calif.) has earned selection to the Rio 2016 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team based on the results of the US Sailing Olympic Athlete Selection Series in the Women’s Board. This will be the first career Olympic Games for the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games bronze medalist. FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1UyzbRw

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Men’s RS:X:

RS:X athlete Pedro Pascual (Miami, Fla.) has earned selection to the Rio 2016 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team based on the results of the US Sailing Olympic Athlete Selection Series in the Men’s Board. This will be the first career Olympic Games appearance for Pascual, who is taking time off from his studies at Florida Atlantic University to pursue his dream of representing the United States in Rio. FULL STORY: http://bit.ly/1ZSeEHg

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Team Tracker: Updated

For each class, the selection series for Team USA will consist of two regattas. The sailor or team with the best combined scores from the two events (lowest combined points) will earn selection. Eleven of fifteen Olympic-class athletes have been selected to date. FULL TRACKER: http://bit.ly/1Xcp4A8

About the US Sailing Team Sperry

The US Sailing Team Sperry is managed by the United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for the sport of sailing and sailboat racing. The top boats in each Olympic and Paralympic class are selected annually to be members of the US Sailing Team Sperry. US Sailing helps these elite athletes with financial, logistical, coaching, technical, fitness, marketing and communications support. The title sponsor of the team is Sperry; other sponsors include Gold-Level partner Sunbrella and Silver-Level partners Harken, Team McLube and Groupe Beneteau. Yale Cordage is a team supplier. The US Sailing Center Miami is an Olympic training site. Oakcliff Sailing and Clearwater Community Sailing Center are US Sailing Team Sperry Training Centers. Chubb Personal Insurance and the Gowrie Group sponsors US Sailing’s National Team Tour, a nationwide presentation program for US Sailing Team Sperry athletes. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org/olympics

The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team Sperry. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org

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Press Contact: Will Ricketson, Olympic Communications Manager, US Sailing. willricketson@ussailing.org, +1 (978) 697-2384.