What got you into sailing?
I give all the credit to my sister Erika for getting me into sailing. Ever since she started
sailing I knew that I wanted to be just like her. When I was little I would always watch
her rig her sail and launch her boat. She seemed to always have something to say after
every practice that sounded fun. Soon enough I was old enough to start sailing. When I
first started out I cried almost every practice because I got hit in the head with the boom
constantly, but after awhile I began to get better and I knew that I wanted to continue
sailing.
What event/place is your favorite to sail in?
My favorite place to sail is probably Venice, Italy. There is an annual team race regatta
there called Trofeo Rizzotti. I have been to the regatta twice and I will be going again
this year. This regatta is my favorite because I love to team race. Also, all the kids in the
regatta stay on a camp ground together so there's always something to do.
What are your favorite conditions to sail in?
Being one of the taller sailors, I have always liked heavy air conditions. A lot of people
don't like to hike because of the pain they get in their legs but I love it when that
happens. When I hike I always get so happy when my legs start to hurt because then I
know that I'm working hard. Big waves are also one of favorite things. Going downwind
when there's swell has to be one of the best feelings ever.
Why do you love your McLaughlin?What makes it different from other boats?
I've had a McLaughlin ever since I started sailing. I like McLaughlin boats because I
think they're built better than other boats. I don't want to mention the name of the
boat, but when I used my friend's boat for a practice, that was not a McLaughlin, I was
able to feel and see the sides of the boat bend when I touched it. I also like McLaughlin
because of how people can customize them any way they want.
Do you have any advice for sailors just starting out?
My advice for people just starting to sail is to not give up right when something gets
hard. Nothing is easy at first and remember that the best sailors in the world all had to
start from the bottom in order to make it to the top.
What are your sailing goals? What's next?
The next thing I'm looking forward to is South Americans, which is my last spring team
in the opti. I also have the Trofeo Rizzotti and Team Trials to look forward to. This
year's Team Trials will be one of my last events in the opti so I'm planning on learning
how to sail lasers soon.
