FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Marlieke de Lange Eaton, 401-683-0800
Dana Paxton, Media Pro Int'l for Rolex, 401-849-0220
US SAILING’S ROLEX
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S KEELBOAT CHAMPIONSHIP
Junior Women Sailors Take the “Next Step” to Keelboat Sailing
LaPorte, Texas (November 11, 2007) – The 25 young women sailors gathered
at Houston Yacht Club this weekend had one thought in mind: To learn as much
about sailing, the sport they love. Through the Next Step to Rolex Program
they had the opportunity of a lifetime, spending two days in the classroom
and on the water, learning from high-level coaches. The girls, age 14-17,
flew into LaPorte, Texas from all parts of the country – representing nine
States as far away as Coronado, Calif. and Rochester, N.Y. – to take part in
the core outreach program of US SAILING’s Rolex International Women’s
Keelboat Championship. Led by Joanne Kolius and her husband John Kolius, an
Olympic Silver Medalist, the weekend featured all-day clinics with the focus
on making the transition from dinghies to keelboats.
“The goal of this program is to give junior sailors a chance to improve
their skills in a different type of boat they would normally sail, and to
reach beyond what they know, to set their sights a little higher,” said
Joanne Kolius. “We decided as a group that one of these girls will one day
win the Rolex Women’s Keelboat.”
Since its creation in 1997, the Next Step to Rolex Program has served as an
inspiration for hundreds of young women. Many, like 2007 participant Alexa
Cavalieri (Annapolis, Md.), had never sailed on a J/80 keelboat, the boats
used for the program. “It was a great learning experience being on a big
boat,” said the 14-year-old. “It’s not everyday that girls like me get that
kind of chance. It was really fun working on communication and teamwork.
It’s nice to get along with everyone.”
The theme of communication and teamwork was threaded through the weekend.
“You have to know how to communicate so that everyone knows what you mean,”
said Chanel Miller (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), a member of her sailing team at
St. Thomas Aquinas High School. “You can’t just say ‘pull that line.’ You
have to more specific and talk in details that everyone understands.”
The Kolius gathered a core group of instructors with extensive one-design
and big boat sailing experience including Farley Fontenot, Caleb Borchers
and Sunfish world champion Eduardo Cordero.
The girls arrived on Friday afternoon and were greeted at the Houston Yacht
Club by LaPorte High School’s cheerleaders. That evening, they took part in
an asymmetrical spinnaker clinic using J/80 keelboats and taught by John
Kolius and Fontenot, and then were treated to guest speakers Ruth Triglia,
from Hobie Cat and Martha Parker, a big boat sailor and Rolex IWKC
competitor.
The entire day Saturday was spent learning about making the transition from
dinghy to keelboat sailing with on-the-water drills. Many had never sailed
with more than one other crew, preferring the doublehanded dinghies of youth
training. “The only keelboat I have ever been on is a Melges 32,” said
Miller. “The local fleet in Florida invites the high school sailors to come
sailing with them all the time. I’ve been lucky enough to go.”
The weekend wrapped up Sunday morning with a race where the girls were split
into teams on each J/80 and paired up with a coach. After racing, they
headed into the HYC where lunch was waiting along with special guest speaker
Anna Tunnicliffe (Plantation, Fla.), who recently captured a berth at the
2008 Olympic Games. She recounted that when she first competed in the Rolex
IWKC, in 1997 at the age of 14, the Next Step to Rolex was just starting and
only a few girls participated, so she crewed with her Mom. “We sailed
against Betsy Alison, Jody Swanson and Cory Sertl,” she recalled. “I was in
awe of them, seeing them on the racecourse.” She shared her path to Olympic
sailing and told the group of her many setbacks along the way first as an
Opti sailor and then while at Old Dominion University. “No matter what the
outcome,” she said. “The journey is absolutely worth it.”
The 2007 Next Step to Rolex program was supported by Houston Yacht Club
members James & Camille Tichenor, Doug & Maria DeVos and the local J/80
fleet. For more information about the Next Step to Rolex Program or the
Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship, please visit
www.ussailing.org/riwkc
or the event website www.riwkc.com.
The Rolex IWKC title sponsor is Rolex Watch U.S.A. Other sponsorships to
date include: Platinum level - James & Camille Tichenor, Vince & Margaretta
Morvillo for Sea Lake Yacht Sales, and Societe Generale; Gold level - Kirby
Inland Marine, Port of Houston Authority, Channel and Lynchburg Shipyards;
Silver level - Sterling Bank, Houston Pilot's Association, Segue Websites,
Mount Gay Rum, Veolia Water and KO Sailing. The Rolex IWKC is a US SAILING
Championship and hosted by the Houston Yacht Club.
About the Rolex IWKC: Inaugurated in 1985 at the instigation of US
SAILING's Women’s Championship Committee, the Rolex IWKC quickly became the
premier women’s sailing event in the U.S. and worldwide. Held biennially,
the event provides women keelboat and offshore sailors high quality racing
and an opportunity to compete with top national and international women
sailors. The winning team will receive US SAILING’s Bengt Julin Trophy.
About Rolex Watch U.S.A. Since Rolex Watch U.S.A. first presented
timepieces to America’s Cup defenders in 1958, the company has consistently
recognized and encouraged excellence in every important arena of competitive
sailing, including US Sailing Team preparation, US SAILING championships,
disabled sailing, and offshore, one-design and women’s events.
The Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship joins other
prestigious Rolex-sponsored events including the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, Rolex
Fastnet Race, Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, the Rolex Big Boat Series
and the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race.
About the Houston Yacht Club: The Houston Yacht Club has one of the
most active racing programs in the United States, hosting regular events
from weekly club series to North American and World Championships. Members
are active in race management with two US SAILING certified national race
officers, five regional race officers and four judges calling HYC home. A
two-time winner of the US SAILING award for Excellence in Race Management,
the Houston Yacht Club continues its 100-year-old tradition of organizing
regattas and promoting Houston as a nationally recognized yacht racing and
recreational boating center. The oldest yacht club in Texas, HYC celebrated
its centennial in 1997.
About US SAILING: The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING)
is the national governing body for sailing. Founded in 1897 and
headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the organization provides
leadership for the sport of sailing in the U.S. 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 U.S.
Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams. For more information, please visit
www.ussailing.org.
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2007 Next Step to Rolex Program participants:
1. Katherine Andril, Annapolis, MD
2. Hannah Callahan, Dallas, TX
3. Killian Corbishley, Rochester, NY
4. Alexa Cavalieri, Annapolis, MD
5. Jennifer Davis, Coronado, CA
6. Julie Gardner, Rochester, NY
7. Kayla Gibson, Houston, TX
8. Sarah Davis, Coronado, CA
9. Caroline Hall, Brick, NJ
10. Winter Hawley, Sheboygan, WI
11. Melany Johnson, Brant Beach, NJ
12. Christina Kvistad, Westrbrook, CT
13. Christina Lewis, Fort Lauderdale, FL
14. Maddie Lucas, Bay Head, NJ
15. Chanel Miller, Fort Lauderdale, FL
16. Merritt Moran, Rochester, NY
17. Kelden Pehr, Houston, TX
18. Megan Place, Fort Lauderdale, FL
19. Jane Rew, Bay Head, NJ
20. Ainsley Thomson, Irondequit, NY
21. Linnhe Thomson, Irondequit, NY
22. Rebekka Urbina, Galveston, TX
23. Aris Walker, Westbrook, CT
24. Caroline Warren, Charleston, SC
25. Sarah Williams, Bay Head, NJ