High Season for Safety at Sea Seminars
US SAILING is about to enter its busy season for the popular Safety at Sea Seminars. Nine seminars are currently scheduled to take place throughout the country, as well as in Bermuda, to help sailors prepare for offshore sailing events. These seminars are the most authoritative daylong seminars on safe seamanship, heavy-weather tactics, and boat preparation, taught by well-known experts in the field. See safety-equipment demos and crew-overboard-recovery techniques. Pose questions to our panel of expert bluewater sailors. This could be the most important day of your sailing life. Tuition fees vary, and seating is limited. 
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National Sailing Programs Symposium A Success
US SAILING's National Sailing Programs Symposium (NSPS), celebrating its 25th anniversary, took place in St. Petersburg, FL, last week, presented by LaserPerformance. On Thursday morning, renowned sailing commentator and author Gary Jobson kicked off the event by entertaining a room filled with about 240 sailing program organizers with stories about the America's Cup and Olympic sailing. On Friday, ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Ed Baird talked about his years in sailing and about the future of the sport. The rest of the Symposium was filled with numerous educational sessions on such topics as hiring and evaluating instructors, how to have a profitable program, and much more, as well as visits to local sailing programs.
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USA's Top Young Sailors Aim For Denmark
The future of American sailing will be on display Saturday through Monday when Alamitos Bay Yacht Club in Long Beach, CA, hosts the US SAILING ISAF Youth World Qualifier and U.S. Youth Multihull Championship. Boys will race singlehanded full-rig Lasers, girls Laser Radials; they'll sail two-person 29er skiffs in separate classes, and some will combine talents on doublehanded Nacra SL-16 catamarans. The winners will advance to the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship at Aarhus, Denmark in July. The catamarans also will be competing for the U.S. Youth Multihull Championship for the Arthur J. Stevens Trophy. 
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AlphaGraphics Becomes US Sailing Team Title Sponsor
US SAILING announced last Monday that it has signed a multi-year partnership agreement with AlphaGraphics - a leading print, graphics and marketing communications network - to be the first-ever title sponsor of the US Sailing Team. The new partnership takes immediate effect and runs through 2012. The US Sailing Team, which annually recognizes the top three athletes in the classes selected for the next Olympic and Paralympic Games, will now be known as "US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics."
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US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics Update
The majority of US Sailing Team members are down under competing in major events. Olympic Team members Zach Railey (Finn), Anna Tunnicliffe (Laser Radial), Andrew Campbell (Laser), and Amanda Clark/Sarah Mergenthaler (470 Women) are competing in Sail Melbourne, along with several other USA sailors including Erin Maxwel/Isabelle Kinsolving who are currently leading the Women's 470 fleet. For the Finn and 470 sailors, their class' World Championships are around the corner (Finn Gold Cup and 470 Worlds event websites). In Auckland, New Zealand, Nancy Rios and Farrah Hall are competing in the RS:X World Championship.

List of Newly Certified Race Officers, Judges and Umpires
As part of US SAILING's mission to provide leadership for the sport, US SAILING certifies race officers, judges and umpires throughout the year to ensure that racing sailors can enjoy a level playing field no matter where they race in the country. The organization has just announced the appointment, re-appointment and upgrade of race officers, judges and umpires who were certified between October and December of 2007. US SAILING congratulates these dedicated volunteers who help make our sport enjoyable for all!
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Star-Studded International Fleet Heading for Key West
Racing sailors from 18 different nations are on their way to the southernmost point in the continental U.S. The US SAILING-sanctioned Acura Key West 2008, presented by Nautica, will welcome a record 60 foreign boats and US entries from 35 different states. The weeklong competition will feature world class competitors and top regional programs competing in 16 different classes on four separate courses. 
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About the US SAILOR of the Week Feature
Do you know a passionate sailor who is always on the water, taking every rules quiz or searching for that perfect cruising lunch spot? Or do you know someone who is newly converted to the sport and soaking up information like a sponge? Perhaps you know someone who gives as much time and energy to building a fleet or running races as they do to working at the office? We want to know about them! E-mail e-USSAILING's editors at eussailing@ussailing.org with a photo of that sailor and 150 words of background info.
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