Marseille, France – 7/8/2023 – US Sailing – Representing the United States from East to West Coast, 14 athletes across ten Olympic sailing disciplines will begin competition in the Paris 2024 Test Event on Sunday, July 9 in Marseille, France.
On the water for the USA:
- 49er – Ian Barrows (St. Thomas, USVI) & Hans Henken (Coronado, CA)
- 49er FX – Stephanie Roble (East Troy, Wis.) & Maggie Shea (Wilmette, IL)
- Women’s Formula Kite – Daniela Moroz (Lafayette, CA)
- Men’s Formula Kite – Markus Edegran (West Palm Beach, FL)
- Mixed 470 – Stu McNay (Providence, RI) & Lara Dallman-Weiss (Shoreview, Minn.)
- Women’s iQFOiL – Dominique Stater (Miami, FL)
- Men’s iQFOiL – Noah Lyons (Clearwater, FL)
- ILCA 6 – Erika Reineke (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
- ILCA 7 – Chapman Petersen (Fontana, Wis.)
- Nacra 17 – Sarah Newberry Moore (Miami, FL) & David Liebenberg (Richmond, CA)
What is a Test Event?
A Test Event is used as a “dress rehearsal” and will operate in the same format as the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Test Events traditionally provide event organizers and Olympic authorities the opportunity to test personnel and venue staging, working to eliminate flaws in their plans in the lead up to the Olympic Games.
What’s on the line?
The Paris 2024 Test Event is the first opportunity for US athletes to earn a nomination to Team USA for Paris 2024. According to US Sailing’s Paris 2024 Selection Procedures, a finish on the podium (first, second, or third) will serve as “early selection” and the athlete(s) will lock in their nomination for Paris, thus closing Trials for their class. Any classes whose representatives do not finish on the podium will enter “late selection” in 2024, details of which can be found here.
“Not every Olympic sport gets a chance to compete at their venue a year out from the Games, and we’re really lucky to have this opportunity,” said Sally Barkow, US Sailing Team Head of Operations. “We get to learn how to maximize our assets here and be as efficient as possible, we’re learning weather patterns and the structure of racecourses, and we’re taking care of logistics and operations so we can return to a familiar environment in a year for the real deal.”
Normally training, traveling, and competing with the tight-knit USA men’s iQFOiL squad, Noah Lyons (Clearwater, Fla.) will be representing the United States solo for this week’s Test Event. For athletes in Marseille, the small group of 14 within the broader Team environment is a unique situation that only comes around for the Olympic Games, the Test Event, and the Pan American Games.
“To be one of the fourteen athletes selected to represent the United States at the Test Event is a really special feeling,” said Noah Lyons, men’s iQFOiL athlete. “Not only is there pride from the effort we put in to getting here, but also a strong sense of unity amongst this small group because we all share one common goal – winning a medal for the United States right here next summer in Marseille. I’m extremely excited for the opportunity and can’t wait to compete this week.”
Schedule:
- Racing July 9-14:
- Men’s Formula Kite
- Women’s Formula Kite
- Racing July 9-15:
- Men’s Dinghy (ILCA 7)
- Women’s Dinghy (ILCA 6)
- Mixed Dinghy (470)
- Racing July 11-16:
- Men’s Windsurfing (iQFOiL)
- Women’s Windsurfing (iQFOiL)
- Men’s Skiff (49er)
- Women’s Skiff (49er FX)
- Mixed Multihull (Nacra 17)
Tracking: https://paris2024.sapsailing.com/gwt/Home.html#/event/:eventId=b8220cee-9ec7-4640-b8d8-f40e079456d5
Event Website: https://paris2024.sailing.org
Explore the venue: https://paris2024.sailing.org/racing/venue/
Results: Will become available when the event begins
Cover photo: Erika Reineke just before stepping into her scheduled measurement window to ensure her equipment meets specifications | Photo by Allison Chenard
