Back to the Future - Coach Observations on the 2024 Domestic Olympic Trials

Sometimes we look back and reflect, and those thoughts can lead to “next steps”.  Life’s pleasure is discovering that those “next steps” delivered above and beyond expectations, and perhaps created a “movement” to recognize.

In the US Olympic Sailing World,  we have freshly concluded the 2024 US Olympic Sailing Trials,  for the 49er, 470, IQ Women, IQ Men, and Men’s Kiting classes.  The event was held off of Miami Beach, staged out of Miami YC and Crandon Park (Key Biscayne), over January 6-13.  https://theclubspot.com/regatta/YzyHD2J2y0

The regatta was a “winner take all'' event,  with first place to be nominated to the 2024 Paris Olympic Team.  The format called for (14) 470 races,  (21) 49er races,  and (28) IQ and Kite races.  Conditions over the 8 days of racing were excellent,  providing a great variety of wind directions, wave states, and wind velocity.  Tom Duggan and Lynn Lynch ran the two race courses in a variety of locations,  with Bruce Cook chairing the Jury.  Most of the racing was held in moderate 9-14 knots.

But the real story here is not a regatta report,  but a recognition of rebuilding something that defines the essence of true Olympic sailing in the US.  The experience wasn’t an 8 day regatta,  it was a 2.5 month concentration of extreme focus, teamwork, strategy, rival energy, preparation and anticipation, all themed toward excellence.

Only 3 of the competitors had ever competed in a domestic trials before,  with the rest of the field curious of what to expect. A guidance paper was drafted https://www.americaoneracing.us/latest/how-to-win-the-us-olympic-trials,  and training at the Trial’s site commenced in October.  The power and energy of the looming important deadline demanded attention to detail, specific note-taking per condition, wave angle, tuning, tactics, as well as fine-tuning the actual equipment they would measure in.

As coaches, we were able to remind the sailors almost hourly what were the golden focus points of each day,  using visualization as a tool to feed motivation to work hard,  and deliver confidence in their (new) abilities in their new “backyard”.

But another component of the Domestic Trials emerged which we had forgotten about:  As the groups gathered in numbers,  there was training in small pairings, but also open fleet racing when masses were in town.  Since virtually all competitors were being coached,  the amount of feedback, comparisons, and interaction quickly escalated.  Everyone’s skills evolved at a much faster rate, and as the weeks rolled by, the racing got tighter.  Honestly, by the time we started racing the Trials in January,  sail trim, hiking form, and boatspeeds were amazingly close.  It was so cool to watch all 8 49ers sail up the beat all on the same tack,  looking almost identical,  and taking turns at crossing ahead.

The Trials Regatta itself delivered exactly the goals that we strive for.  We want our Olympians to be winners.  We want them to win races, and when they aren’t winning races, they need to keep scores in the low digits by managing risk, both in the race, and in the series.  We need our Olympians to start races with confidence and execute, and lead races with discipline.  The trials format tests all of these skills under the microscope.  And the length of the series tests mental toughness and of course physical abilities.

Between athletes, RC, Jury, coaches, and admin on shore,  the total number of people that absolutely needed to deliver every day with Olympic precision must have been 175+.  I guarantee you that every one of those involved, are absolutely exhausted and elated with the event.

One of the most important highlights is that the sailors that finished in the bottom tier in each fleet,  are super motivated and happy with their performance. Everyone that participated came to compete with the best.  I can’t imagine anyone feeling that their results don’t reflect how they sailed.  

The winners surely sailed the best, but this Olympic Trials will be recorded as one of the closest and hardest fought Trials (in multiple classes) in US Olympic history.  Our Olympians have been tested, are indeed winners; and now we have 5 months to reset focus and prepare for a new regatta - the Marseilles (Paris) 2024 Olympics.  The bonus is that while we watched them win under pressure,  we also saw areas that need more work and attention.

In 2008, I watched a 16 year old surfer kid named Hans Henken race in his first big 49er regatta - the US Olympic Trials in San Diego.  This past week, Hans and Ian Barrows won a tight 49er Trials,  and are headed to Paris as medal contenders.  And as they were doing that, teenagers Ian and Noah Nyenhuis sailed in their first Trials (which was their first 49er regatta),  and I’d be surprised if you don’t see their names more often!

For all of us, the 2024 US Olympic Trials felt great.  We watched these young super talents pour their heart and souls into racing the longest and most intense series they ever have competed in.  They did it in cool Olympic classes,  peaking after a quad of preparation.  It reminded us of the community and winning ways the US used to be, and made us nod our heads affirmatively - we are on our way back, and look forward to the future.