BRISTOL, R.I. (July 10, 2020) – On Thursday, July 9, US Sailing’s Olympic Sailing Committee (OSC) voted that participation at the 2020 Finn and 470 World Championships is not in the best interest of U.S. athletes. Upon review of current State Department and Travel Advisories and at the recommendation of US Sailing’s Selection Committee, the OSC determined that these regattas will not be used as the third 2020 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team selection event for the Women’s 470 or Finn classes.
The next qualification opportunity for the Women’s 470 class is the 2021 World Championship, scheduled for March 5-13, 2021 in Vilamoura, Portugal. Finn selection has concluded based on the results of the first two selection events: the 2019 World Championship and 2020 Hempel World Cup Series Miami.
US Sailing’s Selection Procedures outline multiple reasons why travel to an event’s host country may not be in the athletes’ best interest. Among those are the ongoing COVID-19 travel restrictions and advisories.
According to Joe Morris (Annapolis, Md.), Selection Committee member and Athlete Advisory Council Representative, “The COVID-19 pandemic has created a great deal of uncertainty and risk associated with international travel. Beyond the obvious health and safety hazards, this lack of certainty also inhibits the sailors’ preparations for the Championships. Therefore, we feel it is not in their best interest to compete at these events.”
“As a team, we are confident with our process in place to continue training and preparations, while looking ahead to important events in 2021 with Olympic Qualification implications for the Women’s 470,” said Luther Carpenter, US Sailing Team Head Coach. “Our athletes are focused on their specific goals and are making progress towards those on a daily basis. We are optimistic about our opportunities to train and compete with the best sailors in the world and we will be prepared to adapt to the changes in the 2020-2021 schedule and in our sailing environment.”
Learn more about the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials and US Sailing’s Selection Procedures.
About the US Sailing Team
The US Sailing Team is managed by the United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for the sport of sailing and sailboat racing. US Sailing names the top Olympic class athletes to the team annually, through both event qualification and at the discretion of team leadership. US Sailing helps these elite athletes with financial, logistical, coaching, technical, fitness, marketing and communications support. US Sailing Team sponsors include partners Kilroy Realty, Helly Hansen, Harken, McLube, Nimbix, Siemens, and Marlow Ropes. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org/olympics.
About US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and advancement for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Bristol, 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, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.
Contact: Brittney Manning, US Sailing Team Press Officer
Email: OlympicCommunications@ussailing.org
Phone: +1 401 342 7926