Chasing the title of World Champion

Over 1,200 athletes from 85 nations will gather August 11-20 to chase the title of World Champion in their respective classes and qualify their countries for spots at the Paris 2024 Games.

Once every Olympic cycle, all Olympic classes come together to host their annual World Championship at the same venue for a “mega” or “super” Worlds, as casually named by athletes. For the first time, the 2023 edition will include Para classes as a show of commitment from World Sailing to global Para sailing involvement, encouraging Para sailing be reinstated for Brisbane 2032.

The 2023 Sailing World Championships (The Hague, Netherlands) is both the first and largest opportunity for countries to qualify for spots in each class at the Paris 2024 Olympics. In total, 107 boats will receive tickets to Paris for their countries, breaking down to 45 men’s boats, 45 women’s boats, and 17 mixed boats. Following Worlds, the next opportunity for the USA to qualify for Paris is the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, October 20-November 5.

With 19 US Sailing Team Athletes, including nine seasoned Olympians and a host of up-and-coming talent, Worlds will be a regatta to watch where any American can qualify the US for a spot at the Games.

Back on the scene is Carmen Cowles and Dave Hughes in the Mixed 470, a fleet that’s surging in the US with 470 Trials approaching in January 2024. Cowles, with twin sister Emma, was the runner-up for the Tokyo Women’s 470 spot to Barnes and Dallman-Weiss and has now paired up with Dave Hughes, Stu McNay’s former crew and 2x Olympian in the Men’s 470. Team Cowles and McNay/Hughes were training partners leading up to Tokyo trials and have a foundation of collaboration under their belts coming into Worlds.

Accompanying Cowles and Hughes are Paris 2024 Test Event representatives and current top American 470 team Stu McNay (4x Olympian) and Lara Dallman-Weiss (Tokyo 2020), and US Sailing Team athletes Louisa Nordstrom and Trevor Bornarth, who have been hot on the heels of McNay and Dallman-Weiss. Rounding out the USA 470s at Worlds are Kyra Phelan and Sawyer Bastian from San Diego, CA, representing the brimming next wave of talent.

“It’s awesome to see this many strong teams on the line in the Mixed 470,” said Sally Barkow, US Sailing Team Head of Operations. “A group like this will only make each other stronger in their pursuit for the Olympics and we’re confident that whoever wins Trials in January will represent the US well in Marseille. We’re now under a year away from the Games and it’s exciting to see the competition heating up.”

On the Para Sailing scene, Besty Alison, 1998-2016 Team USA Paralympic Coach and 5x Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, will take the tiller in the Women’s Hansa 303 for her first regatta as a Para athlete. In July of 2022, Betsy was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma that appeared as a tumor in her left hip, invading the iliac bone and the gluteus muscles. She is now in recovery from radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery that removed the affected areas.

Under Betsy’s coaching, Team USA was the most successful Paralympic Sailing Team in history, including a Gold Medal for now-fellow teammate Maureen McKinnon at the 2008 Paralympics with partner Nick Scandone.

Sailing was last included in the Paralympic Games in Rio 2016 and was removed from Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 due to a lack of global participation. World Sailing launched #BacktheBid for Los Angeles 2028 and ultimately was unsuccessful for reinstatement but are committed to growing the discipline and getting sailing back on the program for Brisbane 2032.

REPRESENTING THE USA – Olympic Classes

Mixed 470
Louisa Nordstrom & Trevor Bornarth, US Sailing Team
Stu McNay (Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020) & Lara Dallman-Weiss (Tokyo 2020), US Sailing Team
Carmen Cowles & Dave Hughes (Rio 2016 & Tokyo 2020)
Kyra Phelan & Sawyer Bastian

49er
Ian Barrows & Hans Henken, US Sailing Team
Andrew Mollerus & Ian MacDiarmid, US Sailing Team
Nevin Snow & Mac Agnese
Chris Williford & Duncan Williford

49er FX
Stephanie Roble (Tokyo 2020) & Maggie Shea (Tokyo 2020), US Sailing Team
Paris Henken (Rio 2016) & Anna Tunnicliffe Tobias (Beijing 2008 Gold & London 2012)

ILCA 6
Erika Reineke, US Sailing Team
Charlotte Rose, US Sailing Team
Lilly Myers
Christina Sakellaris
Hallie Schiffman

ILCA 7
Chapman Petersen, US Sailing Team
Leo Boucher
Guthrie Braun
Daniel Escudero

Men’s iQFOiL
Noah Lyons, US Sailing Team
Geronimo Nores
Pedro Pascual (Rio 2016 & Tokyo 2020)
Alexander Temko

Women’s iQFOiL
Dominique Stater, US Sailing Team
Bryn Muller
Danicka Sailer
Anna Weis (Tokyo 2020 – Nacra 17)

Men’s Kite
Kai Calder, US Sailing Team
Markus Edegran, US Sailing Team
Casey Brown
Evan Heffernan
Noah Runciman

Women’s Kite
Daniela Moroz, US Sailing Team

Nacra 17
Sarah Newberry Moore & David Liebenberg, US Sailing Team
Carson Crain & Lindsay Gimple

REPRESENTING THE USA – Para Olympic Classes

Men’s Hansa 303 – Jim Thweatt
Women’s Hansa 303 – Betsy Alison (Team USA Paralympic Coach 1998 – 2016)
2.4 Norlin OD – John Seepe
RS Venture Connect – Shan McAdoo & Maureen McKinnon (Atlanta 1996 Paralympics Silver, Beijing 2008 Paralympics Gold)

Live broadcast schedule – Medal Races:
Wednesday, August 16 – Hansa 303, 2.4m OD, RS Venture Keel
Thursday, August 17 – Mixed 470, Nacra 17
Friday, August 18 – 49er, 49er FX
Saturday, August 19 – Men’s and Women’s iQFOiL, Men’s and Women’s Kite
Sunday, August 20 – ILCA 6, ILCA 7 (+ reserve day for iQFOiLs and Kites if needed)

Event website – Entries – Photos – Tracking

Source: US Sailing