Phil Trinter seems to be living a charmed life.  He grew up sailing with his parents, both avid sailors, on Lake Erie. He also grew into football and after graduating from Lorain High School in 1987, he attended Indiana University on a football scholarship, graduating in December of 1991. 

In 1992, while job hunting, Phil went to a regatta in Michigan and met Joe Londrigan, who subsequently invited him to Springfield, Illinois, for the fleet championships.  It was Londrigan’s way of trying him on as a Star crew.  The pairing was fruitful:  they finished second out of 53 boats at the world championships later that year and won the 1992 Star North Americans; in 1993 they were the world champions.  They continued sailing together through the 1996 US Olympic Team Trials where they finished sixth.  Phil sailed the 2000 Trials with John MacCausland, and they finished fifth overall out of 16 Star teams.

Phil had relocated to San Diego while sailing with Joe Londrigan, and over time his success as a crew brought him to the attention of professional sailors.  Ultimately he would add world championship titles in the 50’ and Maxi boats to his resume, and become involved in two campaigns for the America’s Cup, which is where he met Paul Cayard. 

Paul and Phil put together a finely scripted program in their preparation for the 2004 US Olympic Team Trials.  Last summer they were the USA’s representative to sailing’s test event at the Olympic venue – a dress rehearsal for the Games – and they finished second.  They will have their chance for the real medals when the curtain goes up on the final production this summer in Athens.

Last fall was also significant on a more personal note:  in October Phil married Chrissy Idiart, a member of the 1994 Fordham University women’s varsity lightweight four (rowing) -- the first Fordham team to win a national championship, while setting a course record that still stands today.  Chrissy, now a high school mathematics teacher, was inducted into Fordham’s Athletic Hall of Fame in January.

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