United States Olympic Sailing Team Receives Huge Send-Off
Fitzgerald Cecilio
Larchmont, NY
The United States Olympic sailing team was given a huge send-off by more than 1,000 sailors, fans, friends and family before traveling to London to compete in the 2012 Olympics.
"Sending off the team with one final celebration on American soil has become a treasured moment for the Olympic sailing team," said Dean Brenner, chairman of the US Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Program and team leader during the program at Larchmont Yacht Club.
"We could not have asked for a more meaningful experience for the Team," said Brenner, who thanked volunteers, supporters and sponsors who made the day "a tremendous celebration."
During the send-off, guests had the opportunity to meet the 16-strong sailing team and were treated to signed cards featuring each athlete as well as one-on-one time to have signatures and photos.
The 16-member team is expected to provide tough competition for host Britain in the sailing event.
Among the 16-strong selection is Anna Tunnicliffe, who won the laser radial class in Beijing four years ago, as well as Zach Railey, who came second to Britain's triple Olympic gold medalist Ben Ainslie in the Finn event in 2008.
Aside from them, other members of the squad are Amanda Clark, Sarah, Molly Vandemoer, Debbie Capozzi, Erik Storck, Trevor Moore, Farrah Hall, Mark Mendelblatt, Brian Fatih, Paige Railey, Rob Crane, Stu McNay and Graham Biehl.
The team will participate in 10 Olympic events which will take place from July 29 to August 11.
Railey is seen as the only man capable of stopping Ainslie's march to his fourth Olympic gold medal. Also competing in the Finn event are Athens 2004 bronze medalist Vasilij Zbogar of Slovenia, Sweden's Daniel Birgmark, Brazil's Jorge Zarif and Czech Republic's Michael Maier
Ainslie won the gold in the Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympics and silver in the 2006 Atlanta Games.
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