National Team Send-Off Party Set for July 27th In Houston

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 27, 2016

Portsmouth, R.I. – Fourteen athletes who have earned a place on the U.S. National Sailing Team will be treated to a rousing Send-Off Party on July 27th in Houston, Texas at Houston Yacht Club, presented by Sunbrella. Coinciding with a gathering of many of the nation’s top youth sailors at the 2016 Optimist Class U.S. National Championship, the event promises to be a unprecedented celebration of not only US Sailing Team athletes set to compete later this summer on the world stage, but of the sport of sailing in the United States.

“With our talented team assembled, and with hundreds of supporters, friends, Opti sailors, parents and well-wishers present in Houston, this will truly be an event to remember,” said Josh Adams, Managing Director of U.S. Olympic Sailing. “We hope that regardless of where you live in the U.S., you will consider making your way to Houston to help send off our team in style.”

Send-Off Party attendees will get to meet members of the current team, in addition to US Sailing Team athletes from the past, and many other leading American sailors. The party will also feature a public screening of Uncharted Waters, the first full-length documentary film ever produced about the national team, the US Sailing Team Sperry. The film’s release is slated for July 2016, and is the result of nearly two years of close collaboration between the US Sailing Team Sperry and Sunbrella, a national team Gold Partner.

“The Uncharted Waters film project has demonstrated Sunbrella’s tremendous support for our team and athletes, and we couldn’t think of a better way to send off the team than a celebrated presentation of the film and a party presented by our Gold Level partner,” said Adams.

PREVIEW: Uncharted Waters, Coming This July!

Festivities will begin promptly at 3:45 PM on Wednesday, July 27th with the screening of Uncharted Waters. The main Send-Off Party will follow at 5:15PM.

For more information on the National Team Send-Off Party, go to www.ussailing.org/sendoffparty

Rio 2016 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team: Roster

Listed in Order of Date of Selection. 

49er (Men’s Two-Person High Performance Skiff):

49erFX (Women’s Two-Person High Performance Skiff):

Nacra 17 (Mixed Two-Person Multihull):

Laser Radial (Women’s One-Person Dinghy):

  • Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.) – Rio 2016 will be the second consecutive Olympics for Railey, a World Champion, Rolex World Sailor of the Year, three-time Pan American Games medalist and US Sailing Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year.

Finn (Men’s One-Person Heavyweight Dinghy):

  • Caleb Paine (San Diego, Calif.) – Paine, a Sailing World Cup Series Champion, has been the top-ranked American Finn sailor since 2012, and will compete in his first career Olympics.

Laser (Men’s One-Person Dinghy):

  • Charlie Buckingham (Newport Beach, Calif.) – The Laser North American Champion, Two-Time College Sailor of the Year and Toronto 2015 Pan American Games representative will sail at his first career Olympic Games.

Women’s RS:X (Women’s Board):

  • Marion Lepert (Belmont, Calif.) – Rio 2016 will be the first career Olympic Games for the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games bronze medalist, who also made the podium at the 2015 RS:X U21 European Championship and won the medal race at the top-level 2016 Trofeo Princesa Sofia regatta in Palma, Spain.

Men’s RS:X (Men’s Board):

  • Pedro Pascual (Miami, Fla.) – Pascual won the RS:ONE European Championship before making gold fleet at the 2016 RS:X Worlds, and will sail in his first career Olympics.

Women’s 470 (Women’s Two-Person Dinghy):

Men’s 470 (Men’s Two-Person Dinghy): 

  • Stu McNay (Providence, R.I.) and Dave Hughes (Miami, Fla.) – McNay will compete at his third consecutive Olympic Games, but his first with teammate Hughes. The veteran pair have compiled an impressive list of podium finishes at many of the world’s toughest dinghy regattas since January 2013.

USSailingTeam_20150815_IMG_6935_Credit_Will_Ricketson_USSailing

Pictured: The Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing venue. 

How to Follow the U.S. Olympic Sailing Team:

Media:

Newsletter:

  • Sign up for the Medalist Newsletter, your best source for periodic updates on the team.
  • The Newsletter will appear monthly between now and the Games, and daily during the Olympics and Paralympics.

Social Media:

Video:

About US Sailing

The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. 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. This includes National Championships and the US Sailing Team Sperry, the national team for top boats in each Olympic and Paralympic class. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org/olympics

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Press Contact: Will Ricketson, Olympic Communications Manager, US Sailing. willricketson@ussailing.org, +1 (978) 697-2384.

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