Pictured: Ryan Porteous (San Diego, Calif.) and Beijing 2008 SKUD-18 gold medalist Maureen McKinnon (Marblehead, Mass.), US Sailing Team Sperry
SKUD-18 (Open Two-Person Paralympic Keelboat)
Rio 2016 Athlete Selection Series: Standings
Updates:
May 30:
Pictured: Ryan Porteous (San Diego, Calif.) and Maureen McKinnon (Marblehead, Mass.) in Medemblik, The Netherlands.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Porteous and McKinnon (SKUD-18) Earn Place On U.S. Paralympic Sailing Team
Portsmouth, R.I. – Ryan Porteous (San Diego, Calif.) and Maureen McKinnon (Marblehead, Mass.) have earned selection to the Rio 2016 U.S. Paralympic Sailing Team based on the results of the US Sailing Paralympic Athlete Selection Series in the two-person keelboat. This will be the second Team USA appearance for McKinnon, who won gold in the SKUD-18 at Beijing 2008 with the late Nick Scandone (Fountain Valley, Calif.). Rio 2016 will be the first Paralympic Games for Porteous, who is currently a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
The second and final U.S. selection event for the SKUD-18 was the 2016 Para World Sailing Championships (May 24-28) / Delta Lloyd Regatta in Medemblik, The Netherlands. Porteous and McKinnon entered the event with a two-point lead in the series over US Sailing Team Sperry (national team) teammates Sarah Everhart-Skeels (Tiverton, R.I.) and Cindy Walker (Middletown, R.I.). The American boats were closely matched, and the battle for Paralympic selection came down to the final race of the regatta.
“It’s been a lot of ups and down this week, but we made it,” said McKinnon, who is campaigning for the Paralympics for a fourth time. “This week [at the Para Worlds] was just over-the-top tough,” said McKinnon, who explained that medical complications and equipment breakdowns had nearly derailed their efforts in Medemblik. “Our boat broke down more than once, catastrophically so on the first day. We couldn’t [compete in] the second race, but finished the first.” Despite these early struggles, Porteous and McKinnon steadily closed the gap with Everhart-Skeels and Walker, culminating in a tense and emotional final day of the Worlds for both hardworking teams.
SEE ALSO: USA Paralympic Sonar Wins Gold At 2016 World Championship in Medemblik
Porteous said he was very proud to have won the right to sail for his country on the biggest stage in adaptive sports. “A lot of emotions, for sure.” said Porteous. “Relief, accomplishment. It’s going to be great sailing against these elite athletes at the Games, and I’m honored to be representing the United States.”
Porteous noted that sailing with a gold medalist has been a key advantage during the campaign. “Maureen always has that positive attitude,” said Porteous. “We want through a lot at this regatta, and she was so positive the whole time. It really helps keep the boat nice and calm, and [helped] remind us that it wasn’t over yet.”
Pictured: Porteous and McKinnon (USA 71) leading Everhart-Skeels and Walker (USA 74) on Saturday, May 28 in the SKUD-18. Photo: Jasper van Staveren / Delta Lloyd Regatta.
Coaching Porteous and McKinnon was US Sailing Team Sperry Paralympic Coach and record five-time US Sailing Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year Award recipient Betsy Alison (Newport, R.I.). “We’ve been so privileged to have Betsy with us,” said McKinnon. “She’s been my coach since 2002. We know how to work together, and she knows how to inspire me to do what I need to do.” In addition to working for the national team, Alison also plays a key worldwide leadership role in the sport as the recently-appointed head of World Sailing’s Disabled Sailing Committee (DSC).
When asked if their team could challenge for a medal at the Paralympic Games in September, Porteous expressed confidence. “I think we can compete with the best boats in the world,” said Porteous. “Thankfully, the US Sailing Team Sperry and Clearwater Community Sailing Center have sent a boat down [to Rio] that we can train on. We’re going to head down there in about two weeks, start putting the time in [at the venue], and figuring things out. We have a lot we can get better at, and hopefully we’ll win a medal for the U.S.”
All athletes named to the U.S. Paralympic Team are subject to approval by the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC).
February 7:
Selection Event #2: Para World Sailing Championships, Medemblik – Homepage & Results
December 4:
Para World Sailing Championships Recap – US adaptive athletes completed racing at the 2015 Para World Sailing Championships in Melbourne, Australia on December 3, an event with important implications for the 2016 US Paralympic Sailing Team. In addition to being Paralympic sailing’s premier event for 2015, the regatta also served as part of US Sailing’s Rio 2016 selection system for the Sonar and SKUD-18, two of the three classes sailed at the Paralympic Games. American athletes showed competitive speed in all three Paralympic classes in Melbourne, and will continue to focus on improving in the lead up to the 2016 Games.
“The Para World Sailing Championship in Melbourne was one of the most competitive fields of athletes in Paralympic sailing history,” said Betsy Alison (Newport, R.I.), US Sailing Team Sperry Coach and Chair of the Para World Sailing Committee, the leadership body of the sport. “The performance of the US sailors at this worlds was good, but there is room to improve. Our coaching staff has identified several key areas for improvement that will have a significant impact on results in upcoming events in the new year. We are very close to being able to stand tall on the podium on a consistent basis.”
In the two-person SKUD-18 class, Ryan Porteous (San Diego, Calif.) and Beijing 2008 SKUD-18 gold medalist Maureen McKinnon (Marblehead, Mass.) were the top US boat in 8th overall, and have taken a slim lead over Sarah Everhart-Skeels (Tiverton, R.I.) and Cindy Walker (Middletown, R.I.) in the Rio 2016 selection process. The second and final selection event in the SKUD-18 will be the next year’s Para Sailing World Championships in Medemblik, Holland (May 24-28, 2016).
“We had a very eventful regatta,” said McKinnon. “Our final result reflects a loss of places in the scores due to a series of events.” Porteous and McKinnon often battled in the top five, but were hampered by mast and halyard breakages, and a protest. “Ryan and I are ready for anything now,” continued McKinnon. “We endured it all and kept our senses of humor throughout the ups and downs. [Former skipper and gold medalist] Nick Scandone and I had similar challenges at the 2007 Worlds.” McKinnon noted that they owed a debt of gratitude to the Australian team, who lent the American pair a new mast after a breakdown in high winds. “It feels really good to have had offers of help from the international competition.”
Watch Them In Action:
Woman Power: Sarah Everhart-Skeels & Cindy Walker – UNCHARTED WATERS
