Tim Wadlow has always lived near the ocean.  Born in Westerly, R.I., he spent part of his childhood in Fair Haven, N.J., which is when he first became friends with Pete Spaulding while the two were members of the Surf Riders Swim Team.  The Wadlow family relocated to San Diego, and Tim began sailing at Southwestern Yacht Club when he was 10, starting out in Sabots. 

After graduating from Torrey Pines High School in 1992, Tim headed back east to attend Boston University, graduating in 1997 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.  At BU Tim was named an ICSA All-American three times (’94, ’95 and ’97), received the prestigious College Sailor of the Year award his senior year, and became re-acquainted with childhood friend Pete Spaulding who was by then sailing for rival Boston College.

After graduation, like many former college sailors, Tim moved to the highly competitive Vanguard 15, while also becoming a regular on the team racing circuit.  In 1998, Tim got into the 49er, and with Scott Ikle finished sixth at the 2000 Olympic Team Trials.  Shortly thereafter he teamed up with his childhood friend and college rival, Pete Spaulding. 

The pair gradually have scaled back their jobs to travel around the world training and competing.  In 2001 they competed in the 49er World Championship which had a record turnout of 155 teams.  After a 10-race qualifying series that broke the unwieldy fleet into gold, silver, bronze and emerald fleets, Tim and Pete finished seventh out of 44 boats in the silver fleet, to end up 32^nd overall.  Two years later, at the world championships in Spain, they finished eighth overall in a fleet of 86 teams, and qualified the USA’s 49er entry to the 2004 Olympic Games.

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