Back in the Breeze for Paris 2024, Lyons, Barrows, and Henken Shine for Team USA

Aug 2, 2024

A welcomed change of pace greeted sailors on the Bay of Marseille for day three of the Paris 2024 Olympics. Unlike the previous days of competition, sailors hit the water without delays and were treated to winds in the mid to high teens. Men’s Windsurfer athlete Noah Lyons (Clearwater, FL) took full advantage of the fresh breeze, winning the day’s first race and setting a positive tone for the remainder of the day.

Lyons had the best start of the fleet on the slalom style course by starting at the pin at full speed and was able to run away with the race, staying ahead of Brazil’s Mateo Isaac in second and Poland’s Pawel Tarnowski in third.

He continued to post low numbers, even as the race committee moved from Slalom to Course racing, closing the day out with a third place and landing in 4th overall. “Today was windy and exciting – I couldn’t ask for much more,” said Lyons. “My goal was to avoid any deep scores or letters, and I achieved that. I was happy I was able to hold my results.” The Men’s iQFOiL will continue racing tomorrow, with five races scheduled to make up for the scrapped day one.

Lyons volleyed some good energy over to the Men’s Skiffs (49ers) as they took the stage in 15 knots of breeze. Ian Barrows (St. Thomas, USVI) and Hans Henken (San Francisco, CA) started their day with a 10th place and improved from there. As they adjusted to the new breeze, the pair scored a 7 in race eight, and wrapped up their day with a 3rd place – their highest finish in the event so far.

“We were consistent and ended on a good note, so we’re happy with a solid performance on a tricky day across the fleet,” said Barrows. “We’re definitely happy to be back in the wind – it feels good to stretch out the quads and hike out.” Barrows and Henken will enter day four of competition in 5th, just seven points away from 3rd.

Team USA’s Stephanie Roble (East Troy, WI) and Maggie Shea (Chicago, IL) had a challenging day, scoring in the mid teens. The entire Women’s Skiff fleet saw shakeups in the standings today, with the additional breeze changing the game.

“We weren’t in our mojo today,” said Shea. “But we have another full day of racing ahead and we’re staying focused on the next race right in front of us. Everyone in the fleet has had a bad race here and there in their scores, it’s just one of those kinds of regattas. We’re moving forward and looking ahead to a fresh day tomorrow.”

Dominique Stater (Miami, FL) in the Women’s Windsurfer added 5 more races to her scoresheet, with a regatta-best finish of 6th place in race four. Stater has two more days of regular series racing before the medal series on August 2nd.

Skiffs and Windsurfers will continue on for day four tomorrow as they near medal races on Thursday, August 1st for the Skiffs and Friday, August 2nd for the Windsurfing Medal Series. Viewers back home can catch the action on NBC’s Peacock with archived reruns to follow.

For more information on the 13 Team USA athletes competing in the sailing events, on the racing schedule, the broadcast coverage and more, see US Sailing’s Olympics Page and Press Kit.

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait at Paris 2024

Marseille, France – The second day of sailing events at Paris 2024 opened to a familiar light wind start, but athletes and race committee alike were eager to cast off from shore and get racing. The Skiffs and Women’s Windsurfers came out of postponement around 1300 local time to take advantage of an incoming seabreeze which built to about nine knots. Team USA windsurfers logged their first races of the Olympics, and USA Men’s and Women’s Skiff both stayed patient, using their consistency to both move up to 6th overall.

Women’s Skiff team of Stephanie Roble (East Troy, WI) and Maggie Shea (Chicago, IL) came hot out of the gate, scoring a third in their first race of the day. After two general recalls leading to the race committee raising the black flag, Roble / Shea won the pin in race four and stayed in hot pursuit of the race leaders, Italians Jania Germani and Georgia Bertuzzi.

“Our goal today was to push it harder at the start – a goal that I’d say we achieved,” said Shea. “With the current and light air, it was tough to get off the line, but we were able to avoid catastrophe on the first start. It was a tough race course tactically and mentally as the breeze died and an element of randomness was introduced.”Windsurfers Dominique Stater (Miami, FL) and Noah Lyons (Clearwater, FL) made their official Olympic debut today and became Olympians upon crossing the finish line of their first race. With breeze between 6-9 knots, race committee sent the windsurfers on a Slalom course, one of three race styles they can choose from depending on the given conditions. Lyons flexed his strength in this course format, starting his Olympics off with a fifth place finish in what turned out to be the day’s only race.

“I definitely enjoy slalom – I like the fast paced racing. It’s super exciting, everyone is bunched together more and fighting for every inch,” said Lyons. “I was able to get a decent start, keep it clean and minimize risk taking.”

Dominique Stater began her Olympics with an 11 and 22 in today’s two Women’s Windsurfing races. After recovering from a sub-par start, Stater was able to come back to 11th in race one. A tactical error in race two caused her to fall off the foils, resulting in a 22nd place. “You lose so much in these conditions if you don’t keep on the foils,” said Stater. “But I’m excited that we’ve got more racing left and am staying positive.”

While the Windsurfing event has been on the Olympic program since Los Angeles 1984, Paris is the first Games featuring the iQFOiL equipment that flies above the water on hydrofoils. Today was a historic day in the world of windsurfing and Olympic sailing.

Ian Barrows (St. Thomas, USVI) and Hans Henken (San Francisco, CA) had another consistent day in the Men’s Skiff, starting the day with two ninth places. In the day’s final race, Barrows and Henken started at the pin and played the left – the winning side – to come out in fifth place, their best race finish yet.

“Today was challenging,” said Henken. “We had super light wind, just about at the lower limit for what’s sailable in the fleet. Wind that light puts a huge priority on finding clear air and open lanes, and Ian did a great job of putting the boat in some solid lanes today.”

Consistency has been key over these past two days, with only the top two teams having no double digit scores. By sailing conservatively, Barrows and Henken moved up the scoreboard from 12th to 6th, with only ten points separating them from the podium.

Skiffs and Windsurfers will continue on for day three tomorrow as they near medal races on Thursday, August 1st for the Skiffs and Friday, August 2nd for the Windsurfers. Viewers back home can catch the action on NBC’s Peacock with archived reruns to follow.

For more information on the 13 Team USA athletes competing in the sailing events, on the racing schedule, the broadcast coverage and more, see US Sailing’s Olympics Page and Press Kit.

Consistent Opening Day for Team USA on a Challenging Day in Marseille

Marseille, France – The sailing events opened on the Bay of Marseille for the Paris 2024 Olympics on Sunday, July 28 for four classes. Light, inconsistent breeze paired with choppy water presented a challenging opening day for all competitors. Despite hot and humid temperatures, an impressive crowd of spectators gathered on the seawall to watch the action and cheer for sailors.

After hitting the water in the morning with intentions to race, officials canceled the day’s schedule for the Men’s and Women’s Windsurfers due to light wind. Team USA athletes Noah Lyons (Clearwater, FL) and Dominique Stater (Miami, FL.) remain in high spirits, taking each hour as it comes and staying prepared for racing tomorrow.

“It was a long day, we had lots of waiting around,” said Stater. “I’m just trying to keep hydrated, eat food and stay set for the next day of racing!”

The Women’s Skiffs / 49erFXs were able to get off three races in the early afternoon. Stephanie Roble (East Troy, WI) and Maggie Shea (Chicago, IL) had consistent and strong speed despite the light air, posting a 7, 11, and 10 to put them in 8th overall. With three days and a medal race remaining, Roble and Shea are only four points outside the top five. Apart from the racing, the pair is soaking up the experience of their second Olympics together as a team.

“Leaving the harbor today was extra special,” said Roble. “Seeing supporters cheering us on at the water’s edge—what an awesome vibe. We had a lot of fun putting it together and working hard for everything out on the water.” “We got chills spotting the American flags in the crowd; it felt surreal on the first day of the Games,” added Shea. “There’s no other place we’d rather be.”

In the Men’s Skiff / 49er fleet, officials were able to get off three races in the best breeze of the day, moving course areas farther west in search of wind. Ian Barrows and Hans Henken made their Olympic debut with an 8, 7, 17 scoreline, putting them in 12th overall. Unfortunately the pair saw a minor setback in race three, drawing a foul at the top mark which forced them to take a penalty turn.

“They say you can’t win a regatta on day one but you can definitely lose it,” said Henken. “We could have had a better third race but we’re still in it.”

The same four classes from day one will take the water for day two of competition tomorrow with hopes of first races for the men’s and women’s windsurfers. Viewers back home can catch the action on NBC’s Peacock with archived reruns to follow.

For more information on the 13 Team USA athletes competing in the sailing events, on the racing schedule, the broadcast coverage and more, see US Sailing’s Olympics Page and Press Kit.

Paris Olympics Set Sail in Marseille, France for 13 American Athletes

Marseille, France – Over the course of 12 days, 13 American athletes in nine classes will take to the Bay of Marseille for competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics, following a shortened runway of three years due to the delayed Tokyo 2020 Games. Against a dramatic backdrop of rocky Calanques and the classic city of Marseille, athletes will battle for the podium on the biggest stage in international sport. Sailing fans watching from the U.S. will be able to follow the racing both live and on replay through NBC’s Peacock streaming service, starting at 6:00 AM EDT on July 28 (3:00 AM PDT) with the Women’s Windsurfing events featuring USA’s Dominique Stater.

“We’ve had a fantastic final training block and settling period here in Marseille leading up to day one tomorrow, and I’ve been so impressed with the drive and work ethic that I’ve seen in each athlete,” said Marcus Lynch, USST High Performance Director and Paris 2024 Team Leader. “Athletes are dialed in on their programs and processes. We have an impressive support team of nearly 30 people spread across the discipline coaches and support staff backing them through 12 days of racing. It takes a village first to get here to get here and then to succeed, and I’m confident we have a great one on site in Marseille. Now it’s time to trust the training, do what we know, and take it one race at a time.”

Team USA Sailing for Paris 2024:

Ian Barrows & Hans Henken – Men’s Skiff | 49er
Markus Edegran – Men’s Kiteboard | Formula Kite
Noah Lyons – Men’s Windsurfer | iQFOiL
Stu McNay & Lara Dallman-Weiss – Mixed Dinghy | 470
Daniela Moroz – Women’s Kiteboard | Formula Kite
Sarah Newberry Moore & David Liebenberg – Mixed Multihull | Nacra 17
Erika Reineke – Women’s Dinghy | ILCA 6
Stephanie Roble & Maggie Shea – Women’s Skiff | 49erFX
Dominique Stater – Women’s Windsurfer | iQFOiL

For more about Olympic sailing, including scoring, boats/boards, and more, see World Sailing’s Media Guide. For detailed information on Team USA sailors, see US Sailing Team’s Team USA Media Guide.

65 of the best sailing nations in the world are set to compete in Marseille, with over 250 boats and boards sailed by 330 athletes. After days of settling in the Team USA base, rigging boats, and practicing on the Bay of Marseille, athletes are locked in and ready for racing that begins tomorrow.

Paris 2024 is the third time sailing will make an appearance at a French Olympics, with previous competitions first in 1900 and then in 1924. However, it will be the first Games with events in Marseille, which was chosen specifically for its epic conditions and characteristic “Mistral” wind that is guaranteed to provide a show when it funnels through the Rhône Valley and French plains.

Paris 2024 will also make history: for the first time in the modern Olympic era, the games will have gender parity among athletes, with an equal number of male and female athletes on the field of play. Sailing is no exception, having added the Men’s and Women’s Formula Kite events and shifting the 470 to a mixed event in order to achieve equality on the water.

The US Sailing Team is entering this Games as the second-most successful Olympic Sailing Team in history, having won 61 medals since the inception of the modern Olympic Games in 1896. The team is close behind Great Britain, trailing by three medals. Will this year be the chance to close the gap and take back the title of history’s most successful sailing team?

Covering all the action on NBC’s sailing broadcast will be veteran commentator Gary Jobson, who will be on the stream from 6am EDT to 1pm EDT each day. There will be two televised race areasper day, on the “Corniche” and “Marseille” courses. As the classes rotate through those two areas day to day, different athletes will be featured on the broadcast. See the full broadcast schedule below and on NBC: https://www.nbcolympics.com/schedule/sport/sailing

For more information on the 13 Team USA athletes competing in the sailing events, on the racing schedule, the broadcast coverage and more, see US Sailing’s Olympics Page and Press Kit.

Back in the Breeze for Paris 2024, Lyons, Barrows, and Henken Shine for Team USA

Courtesy of US Sailing. Words by Allison Chenard. For event schedules and more visit US Sailing.