02/28/07 2007 USDST Announced

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Marni Lane
617-671-8332
401-683-0800 x671
MarniLane@ussailing.org

Portsmouth, R.I. (February 28, 2007) – US SAILING, national governing body of the sport, has announced the members of the 2007 US Disabled Sailing Team (USDST). Created in 1998 to develop and prepare the team representing the U.S. at the Paralympic Games, the US Disabled Sailing Team annually recognizes the top three sailors in the classes selected for the Paralympic Games, based on athletes’ performances at a series of qualifying regattas. The three classes selected for the 2008 Paralympic Games in Qingdao, China are: 2.4 Metre (Open Singlehanded), SKUD-18 (Open Doublehanded) and Sonar (Open Triplehanded).

The members of the 2007 US Disabled Sailing Team are:

2.4 Metre
1. Nick Scandone (Fountain Valley, Calif.)
2. John Ruf (Pewaukee, Wis.)
3. Roger Cleworth (Lithia, Fla.)

SKUD-18
1. Scott Whitman (Brick, N.J.) and Julia Dorsett (Boca Raton, Fla.)
2. Karen Mitchell (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) and J.P. Creignou (St. Petersburg, Fla.)
3. Mark Lewis (Hingham, Mass.) and Maureen McKinnon-Tucker (Marblehead, Mass.)

Sonar
1. Rick Doerr (Clifton, N.J.)/Bill Donohue (Brick, N.J.)/Tim Angle (Marblehead, Mass.)
2. Bert Foster (Wayzata, Minn.)/Jim Thweatt (West Sacramento, Calif.)/David Burdette (Lutherville, Md.)
3. David Schroeder (Miami, Fla.)/Keith Burhans (Rochester, N.Y.)/John Pucillo (Andrew AFB, Md.)

"This 2007 roster is filled with talent," said US Disabled Sailing Team Coach Betsy Alison (Newport, R.I.). "Our 18 sailors make up one of the strongest US Disabled Sailing Teams that we have ever had in the Paralympic disciplines. Our dream of posting podium finishes at our upcoming World Championships and 2008 Paralympic Games is certainly in reach."

Sponsors of the 2007 US Disabled Sailing Team are: Rolex Watch U.S.A., Vanguard Sailboats, Nautica, Gill, Sperry Top-Sider, RIBCRAFT, Harken, New England Ropes, Extrasport, Nikon, and Team McLube.

The 2008 Paralympic Games are scheduled for September 6-17, 2008, in Beijing, China. The Paralympic Regatta will be held in Qingdao, a coastal city located 430 miles southeast of Beijing.

For more information on the 2007 US Disabled Sailing Team and the ranking system, please visit www.ussailing.org/olympics/paralympic.

About US SAILING
The US Disabled Sailing Team (USDST) is managed by US SAILING, national governing body of the sport. Headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US SAILING's mission is to encourage participation and promote excellence in sailing in the U.S. US SAILING offers training and education programs, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including the US Sailing Teams and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.

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