In case anyone missed it, the Olympic Development Team for the multihull event (Sarah Newberry and Matt Whitehead) are on the way to Spain to represent the US at the Olympic Multihull Trials in Santander.

Pretty.

Freakin'.

Cool.

awesome!!!!!

Word is no selection til May??

That's a whopping six weeks away.

Really,

Freakin'

Cool!

Go Hobie 16!!! No one else will say it...

I think that another interesting part of the story is that Enrique (Hobie 16 phenom and Tornado Olympian) is on the Evaluation Panel:

http://2016equipmentevaluation.wordpress.com/evaluation-panel-2/

Mike

What about team John Williams?

It was a struggle to get US Sailing to send two people - Sarah and Matt are great candidates and will represent us very well.

John, can you tell us what their role will be? Do they just sail the boats and provide subjective feedback for the panel to act upon, or is there more to it?

Mike

Thread title error?

While I am sure they are both very good candidates perhaps instead of representing the US the they should representing the multihull community as they will be part of the process recommending the next Olympic multihull.

Did the US think it wise to send two viper sailors who possibly have had not much international experience. Not much cross class multihull sailing at such an important decision making process? It may have been wiser to send a more experienced international sailors.

Just a thought but too late now.

Actually... i think the biggest criteria would be how well they express themselves about sailing performance in conversation and in writing.

Their opinion that the viper is the best boat ever... is irrelevant.. I doubt they ever vote...

What they do have to do is report accurately on the questions they are asked and get some strengths, weaknesses and features down on paper. They are not even there to suggest FIXES or improvements to boats.. They are not the judge or jury in this process ..... The pressure to not be way out of line with your point of view will be there ... you want to fit in with the rest of the international sailors. The only way you can do this is make sure you are accurate with your opinions.

I think of them as people who fill out those consumer reports surveys on their new car.

Enrique Figoroa is the guy who gets to interview the pilots, pull all the information together and work with the committee to render an opinion

I think you know not what you speak/type. I don't know about Matthew but I DO know Sarah has plenty of other boat experience, (Tornado and H-16 as well as F-16 and F-18) and lots of it.

I second that - Sara is extremely skilled, responsible, and very capable of making and arguing salient points. Besides, this isn't supposed to be the game of the old fuddy duddies - that's kind of the point of this attempt. I don't think we could have a better pair.

Skipper's Mtg - Matt/Sarah in the middle next to some dudes with cool AHPC jackets

http://2016equipmentevaluation.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/img_1975.jpg

And Sara comes from good stock.., the Livingstons of Miami. Jamie was a Mentor to Sara on the Tornado and other boats.

Rigged and Ready - looks like 2 H16's, 2 Tigers, 2 T's, 2 N16's, 1 N17, 2 Vipers

http://2016equipmentevaluation.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/rigged-and-ready/#

gotta love the traditional blue poly tarp on the 16's.

boy the sailors look young..... damn I feel old.

That's Brett Goodall and Jason Waterhouse, both top Viper team riders. ISAF is doing a nice job posting updates to their blog, and pictures on Twitter @ISAFupdates. I'm trying to post things to the F18 Eastern Area facebook page and Twitter @F18EasternArea.

Two Nacra 17s are there, one black hull and one white hull