American skiff movement on the move

Before the USA won an Olympic medal in the Men’s Skiff event at Paris 2024, the nation was far from the world standard in the 49er Class. After legacy teams moved on, the USA was 15th of 20 in 2012, 19th of 20 in 2016, and did not qualify in 2020. Something needed to be done.

That something was for the men’s teams to not give up, and to work together. A continued culture of cooperation worked in 2024, and it is what Willie McBride, USA 49er Class Association President, seeks to maintain, providing this update on recent activity:

A balmy, 15 knot wind stirred the palm trees at the US Sailing Center of Miami for day three of the 2025 49er and 49erFX US National Championship. The crowd of 28 skiff racers gathered for the morning briefing was an exhibit of contrast.

The field of competitors included the youngest still in high school, moving up from top finishes in the 29er fleet to take the next step on the high performance pathway, while the oldest are stepping back into the 49er from recent experiences sailing the F50 in SailGP, and training with America’s Cup teams in massive foilers.

Two teammates had been racing together for over 20 years, while some have fewer than 20 days together. The fleet is equal parts young guns, dreaming of one day campaigning for the Olympics, current Olympic campaigners, and returning veterans who are coming back to help the fleet grow and develop. The latter group includes 2024 Olympic Bronze medalists in the 49er class, Ian Barrows and Hans Henken. A growing sense of momentum in the fleet is tangible.

“This event is the first formal racing opportunity following a busy winter of US Sailing Olympic Development training camps in Miami, and it was a fantastic opportunity to put the work to the test and spar with solid competition,” said Rosie Chapman, US Sailing Olympic Development Director (ODP).

“The winter camps were a great space to get valuable time on the water and support athletes in new classes with new partners, and to promote knowledge sharing from seasoned veterans. The Nationals turnout illustrates a positive outcome with 19 of the 23 American athletes in attendance coming straight out of US Sailing ODP training, and we’re excited to continue this momentum as a country. The future is bright for US Skiffs!”

Though international activity in the skiff scene may appear quiet since Paris 2024, new entrants in the US fleet have been logging hours out of the spotlight. But the energy in Miami was proof of a renewed excitement in the skiff fleet that will make it the pathway to watch when it comes to talent in the United States this quad.

In the 49erFX class, the story of the week was the steep learning curve amongst all competitors, with the bar rising each day as talented young sailors leapfrogged their skills.

On day one, Kelly Cole and Ellie Glenn pushed Logan Mraz and Ronan Curnyn at the front of the fleet, each taking race wins. Day two saw more wind, and Pierce and Fynn Olsen showed the fleet the power of a bow-down VMG mode, putting together a string of bullets. By day three, B Lindsay and Bella Casaretto (29er Youth Worlds champion) showed what they had learned through the event to move up the leaderboard with a pair of 2nds to finish strong.

The title came down to the final race, with four teams still mathematically in reach of the National Champion title. In the end, Logan Mraz and Ronan Curnyn (USA 8) showed a great jump in boat speed to edge out the competition, taking a bullet in the final race to secure the National Championship. Close behind, Pierce and Fynn Olsen took second place, while B Lindsay and Bella Casaretto rounded out the podium.

The shuffling leaderboard throughout the championship demonstrated the rapid development of the next generation in the USA 49erFX fleet, and will offer strong motivation for teams to put in the work before the next domestic event this summer in California.

The 49er class was a showcase of experience, skill, and depth, with five different teams claiming race wins throughout the event. My pitch to the younger sailors in the fleet: “I hope you’ll spend time hanging out with [the veteran racers] in the boat park and learning everything you can from them, but I hope you won’t give them an inch on the start line.”

Many of the young teams in the 49er have been putting in long hours over the last several months training together in Miami, so they came into the Nationals with the advantage of time in the boat with consistent teammates. In contrast, the veterans of the last few Olympic cycles partnered with new sailors to help raise the level all around, demonstrating the importance of experience in the boat over many years.

2024 Olympic Bronze medal crew, Hans Henken, returned to the 49er to push the fleet on the race course and meet up with old friends outside of racing. Hans sailed his first Olympic Trials in the 49er in 2008, so his journey to the podium has spanned a full lifetime for some of the younger competitors on the course.

For Nationals, Hans teamed back up with his 29er skipper, Judge Ryan, with whom he won a Youth Worlds medal in 2008, and the duo won the last race of the event. In another boat, Hans’s Olympic skipper, and fellow 2024 Yachtsman of the Year Ian Barrows battled a canceled flight on day 1 of the event, to fight back to 4th, sailing with US Virgin Islands rep at the 2022 Pan Am Games, Steven Hardee.

In the end, Nicolas Muller and Mac Agnese put on a masterclass in consistency. The pair leaned on Mac’s experience in the 49er from the last few quads with Nevin Snow, and Nic’s recent pro sailing and training at the helm of the 49er.

The Janov brothers, Jordan and Grant, who have been leading the charge of the next generation teams, demonstrated what the future of the class looks like by taking second with moments of excellent speed. Rounding out the podium was Mexico’s Ander and Danel Belausteguigoitia – veterans of the 2024 quad – who raised the bar for the fleet in the moderate conditions on day one and showed moments of brilliance in the breezier conditions.

My words during the trophy presentation:

“Look around at the people standing next to you. You’ll see athletes who have stood on top of the podium at SailGP, America’s Cup sailors, Youth Olympic champions, several Youth Worlds medalists, College Sailors of the Year, and All-Americans from top universities. And of course our very own, recent Olympic Medalists in the 49er class.

“This is the coolest group of people, the most rewarding network, and in the next four years we’re going to keep the hammer down to provide the best racing possible, and build a legacy to make this a permanent paradigm for the next generation of skiff sailors.”

Beyond the racing, the 49er Nationals offered a glimmer of what is to come in a class that is leading the charge to change the landscape of grassroots energy in American Olympic sailing. US Sailing Olympic Development Director, Rosie Chapman, and Leandro Spina of America One Racing were both on site, working side by side to mobilize resources from both organizations to supercharge the US 49er Class Association and make the event a huge success.

Both leaders rolled up their sleeves, moving marks, running the media boat, and bringing along staff to support the racing, reflecting a continued investment in the next generation. The event was also a testament to the legacy of the Skiff Generation regattas, a grassroots initiative spearheaded by event PRO, Phil Muller (and current US Sailing Youth Racing Manager) that has propelled U.S. skiff sailing forward over the past decade.

With the 2025 Nationals in the books, the stage is set for an exciting season ahead. The level of competition, depth of talent, and camaraderie on display at this event confirms that the U.S. skiff scene is gaining momentum!

The next 49er event will be held in California this May, as teams head west to begin working at the 2028 Olympic venue.

Results: https://mcbrideracing.com/2025-49ernationals
For information on the class vision: https://mcbrideracing.com/blog/2025/2/5/us-49er-class-vision

Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Sailing Program*:
Men’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 7
Women’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6
Mixed Two Person Dinghy – 470
Men’s Skiff – 49er
Women’s Skiff – 49erFX
Men’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class
Women’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class
Men’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL
Women’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL
Mixed Multihull – Nacra 17

Venue: Long Beach, CA
Dates: July 21-August 6

* World Sailing voted to keep the Paris 2024 Sailing Program for Los Angeles 2028, but the program is not final until the IOC approves all events, which usually occurs between December 2024 and January 2025. At that time, the IOC will also confirm the quota for sailing and how many medals.