Feb. 22, 2011
PORTSMOUTH, RI. - US Sailing has announced the members of the new 2011 US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics (USSTAG), the national sailing team comprised of Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls. Three former Lady Monarch sailing greats, Anna Tunnicliffe ('05), Debbie Capozzi ('02) and Sally Barkow ('02) were all selected to be on the team.
Tunnicliffe, a 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist, is one of the top sailors on the 2011 team. Tunnicliffe switched campaign gears in 2010 to focus on the Women's Match Racing event, which is sailed in the Elliott 6m and makes its debut in the 2012 Olympic Games.
Tunnicliffe, US SAILING's three-time Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year (2008-10), continued her consistent form by winning silver at Rolex Miami OCR. Crewing for Tunnicliffe are Molly Vandemoer and Capozzi, who represented the United States at the 2008 Games in the Yngling. The trio earned an overall ISAF Sailing World Cup silver medal in 2010.
Barkow will compete in the same event, joining Alana O'Reilly and Elizabeth Kratzig Burnham.
The 2011 USSTAG includes at least the top two boats in each class selected for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Competitions in Weymouth/Portland, England. These athletes have proven to be the top performing sailors in the world: Twelve are Olympians and two are Olympic medalists, five are Paralympians and three are Paralympic medalists, seven are World Champions and 10 athletes are ranked top five in the world by ISAF.
The 2011 team was selected based on top performances at a series of qualifying events, including January's US SAILING's 2011 Rolex Miami OCR, where the USA won four medals.
-ODU-