Pictured: Charlie Buckingham (Newport Beach, Calif.), Laser, US Sailing Team Sperry
Laser (Men’s One-Person Dinghy)
Rio 2016 Olympic Athlete Selection Series, Current Standings:
Updates:
April 1:
Pictured: Charlie Buckingham (Newport Beach, Calif.), Laser, U.S. Olympic Sailing Team.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2016
Palma de Mallorca, Spain. – Laser athlete Charlie Buckingham (Newport Beach, Calif.) has earned selection to the Rio 2016 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team based on the results of the US Sailing Olympic Athlete Selection Series in the men’s one-person dinghy. The Laser North American Champion has been the top U.S. athlete in this class for four years, and has represented the United States at the Pan American Games and during two test events at the 2016 Olympic venue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This will be the first career Olympic Games appearance for Buckingham.
“It’s been a dream of mine since I was probably ten years old,” said the two-time ICSA College Sailor of the Year from Georgetown University. “I’ve been thinking about this a lot over the last four years, since the last trials, and so today’s a special day.”
While Buckingham’s results have consistently exceeded his US Sailing Team Sperry (national team) teammates during the Rio 2016 quadrennium, he noted that the Selection Series, and its final stage at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia (March 25 – April 2) in Palma de Mallorca, proved to be a challenge. “I felt like I had to put extra attention into making sure I didn’t make big mistakes to put myself out of the event. It was definitely a stressful week at times, but I’m glad the result went my way.” Buckingham entered the regatta in Spain with an eight-point lead over his closest U.S. competitor, national team sailor Erik Bowers (Excelsior, Minn.).
Buckingham’s Rio 2016 campaign is his second attempt at earning Olympic selection, after competing for a spot at London 2012 fresh off his standout intercollegiate career. “I’m definitely more experienced, and I have four years of preparation behind me, so it’s been quite different,” said Buckingham. “I basically went into the last trials with no preparation. I had four years of college sailing, but no full-time Olympic experience. This time around, I felt like I was ready for it.”
Pictured: The Laser Fleet at the 2015 Rio Olympic Test Event.
The Laser fleet is renowned for its depth of talent, but Buckingham’s results, including 7th place finishes at both the 2014 Laser World Championship and 2015 Olympic Test Event, have secured his standing as an elite competitor. “The margin of error is pretty small. You get punished for every little mistake you make in this fleet,” said Buckingham. “It makes the racing a challenge, but that’s why I like it. I really enjoy lining up against the best in the world, and really testing myself.”
Buckingham will now return his attention to preparing for the Games in Rio, and towards delivering a career-best performance on one of the biggest stages in sports. “I’ve had some good moments and good results. I just need to figure out how I can put the pieces together, and have a good week in August.”
See Also: Full U.S. Olympic Team Selection Tracker (All Classes)
Pictured: Buckingham racing in Rio de Janeiro, August 2015.
Note: All athletes named to the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team are subject to approval by the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC).
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Press Contact: Will Ricketson, Olympic Communications Manager, US Sailing. willricketson@ussailing.org, +1 (978) 697-2384.
February 2:
Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia (March 26-April 2) – Event Homepage & Results
January 29:
Sailing World Cup Miami Recap – Laser North American Champion and two-time College sailor of the Year Charlie Buckingham (Newport Beach, Calif.) finished 16th, and will carry and eight-point lead over Erik Bowers (Excelsior, Minn.) into Palma.
Sailing World Cup Miami was a U.S. Olympic Team selection event for the Laser class. The second and final event will be the Trofeo SAR Princess Sofia, Palma de Mallorca, Spain, March 26-April 2, 2016.
Names to Watch:
- Charlie Buckingham (Newport Beach, Calif.), US Sailing Team Sperry: The two-time college sailor of the year and North American Champion has posted high-level finishes in the exceptionally deep International Laser class since joining the Olympic racing circuit in late 2011. Buckingham finished 7th at the 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championship, and was 7th at the 2015 Olympic Test Event in Rio de Janeiro.
- Erik Bowers (Excelsior, Minn.): Bowers joined the US Sailing Development Team in 2014, and has seen steady improvement throughout the Rio 2016 quad. He finished 32nd at the 2015 Laser Worlds.
Pictured: Erik Bowers (Excelsior, Minn.), Laser.
