New leadership for US Sailing Team

Marcus Lynch

US Sailing has named Marcus Lynch (GBR) as its new High Performance Director. Beginning in January 2024, Lynch will lead the US Sailing Team and all its associated high‐performance programs, including the US Olympic Sailing Team, the Pan American Sailing Team, and the Olympic Development Sailing Program.

Lynch joins the program following the resignations in February 2023 of the U.S. Olympic Sailing leadership team which included:

• Executive Director Paul Cayard
• High Performance Coach James Lyne
• Performance Director Leandro Spina
• Senior Coach Luther Carpenter
• Senior Coach Charlie McKee

Concern with the program prompted the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee to conduct an independent compliance investigation and assessment of US Sailing’s Olympic operations.

In his new position, Lynch will develop and lead coaches and staff to support world-class athletes in achieving their highest level of performance and success in international competitions.

Lynch had served as a full-time athlete for the British Sailing Team in the Tornado Class from 2000-2008, then as a consultant from 2008 to 2016, where he coordinated the British Sailing Teams Paralympic training and preparation activities in Rio ahead of the 2016 Paralympic Games where the British Sailing Team secured a Bronze Medal in both the 2.4 and Skud.

After the Rio 2016 Games, Lynch joined the German Sailing Team as the Olympic Performance Coach for the Nacra 17, securing the Bronze Medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

In 2019, Lynch became the Olympic Performance Manager, and in 2021 the German Sailing Team had their most successful Olympic Performance in over two decades, securing the Silver Medal in the 49erFX, the Bronze Medal in the 49er, and the Bronze Medal in the Nacra 17 at Tokyo 2020 Games.

Additionally, his coaching experience has included professional sailing circuits such as SailGP and the Extreme Sailing Series.

“I am thrilled to join US Sailing in this important role and at this critical time,” said Lynch. “The US Sailing Team has a solid foundation with great passion and drive. I am excited to bring my two decades of experiences in other successful programs to support the US Sailing Team to achieve its full potential as a World Class Sailing Team on the Olympic stage in Paris 2024, at the home Games in Los Angeles 2028, and beyond.”

Lynch will join US Sailing following an extensive global search. A diverse committee comprised of current athletes, US Sailing Association board members, US Sailing Foundation board members, Olympians, staff, a USOPC representative, and world champions conducted the search for this next leader of the US Olympic Sailing Team.

Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing Program*:
Men’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 7 (41)
Women’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6 (41)
Mixed Two Person Dinghy – 470 (19)
Men’s Skiff – 49er (20)
Women’s Skiff – 49erFX (20)
Men’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class (20)
Women’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class (20)
Men’s Windsurfing – iQFoil (24)
Women’s Windsurfing – iQFoil (24)
Mixed Multihull – Nacra 17 (19)
* Quota per event in parenthesis but does not include Universality Places (2 men, 2 women)

Venue: Marseille, France
Dates: July 26-August 11

Details: https://www.paris2024.org/en/the-olympic-games-paris-2024/