Morgan Larson: Let’s be honest here

With just over three years on the job, US Sailing Chief Executive Officer Alan Ostfield is leaving the organization. It has been a hectic 18 months of turnover and litigation for the National Governing Body, and this latest departure continues the appearance of instability.

At 53 years of age, Morgan Larson expects more from his country. From 505 World Champion, Olympic campaigner, and America’s Cup competitor, Larson is wondering who is following in his footsteps. He vents in this report:

It amazes me that US Sailing membership has allowed for such limited leadership over the past few years. US Sailing is at such a low that they are promoting their improved performance at the Paris 2016 Olympics. Huh?

Let’s be honest here. We were not favored to win medals in any of the ten events, and it was only due to our young talent in the 49er class (coached by our own 2000 Bronze medalist Charlie McKee), sailing above their past level and getting lucky in the final race to secure our only medal in Paris 2024.

I guess one is better than none in 2012, one in 2016, and none in 2020.

I consider the team’s new High Performance Director Marcus Lynch, a friend. Marcus has had success with the British and German Sailing Teams in the past and could bring some gains to the US, but as he’s a British citizen, is anyone asking why we aren’t developing our own American coaches?

With the talents of the past, the support of the America One Racing foundation, and with what some might consider to be the most talented group of youth sailors to graduate into the next phase, why can’t we build a leadership group, coaching staff, and technical support to dominate 2028 in Los Angeles?

I myself fell short of the ultimate Olympic goal but I do know that the path we are on is not a winning path. Where are our leaders of the past in this time of obvious need? Morgan Reeser, Paul Foerster, JJ Isler, Mark Reynolds, Pam Healy, John Kostecki…

Reeser was employed by Austria and coached their 470 team to a Gold medal. Perhaps we can’t afford his talent because too much of our funding goes to pay for US Sailing’s pencil pushers. We all know Paul Cayard had a plan that was derailed in 2023 due to US Sailing politics.

Our governing body is creating a system where our own talent isn’t willing to step up to the plate. Without the America One Racing foundation, and the help of Doug DeVos and American Magic, we might as well hang up our wetsuits and watch the British, Italian, Austrian’s, French, Australians, and even the Israelis grab all the gold in Los Angeles 2028.

Editor’s note: We want to believe that Marcus Lynch was the right hire in December 2023, but his position hasn’t had stability since the London 2012 Olympics. Hopefully it will now.