US Sailing Team at the Pan American Games

US Sailing Team at the Pan American Games - Day 7

by US Sailing Team 4 Nov 2023 15:41 NZDT October 28 - November 5, 2023

2023 Pan American Games - Day 7 © US Sailing Team

A golden day for Team USA! After medal races in six of the 13 classes, the US Sailing Team is taking home five medals, including gold medals in the 49er and Women's Formula Kite. The team also has confirmed gold medals in the ILCA 6 and Lightning classes ahead of their medal races tomorrow and either a silver or bronze in the Nacra 17.

After dominating the competition by winning all but three of her 18 races, Daniela Moroz (Lafayette, Calif.) has come away with Gold at her first Pan Am Games. As first return to competition since the Combined World Championship in August, Moroz looked to the Pan Ams as a valuable rehearsal for Paris 2024 with both USA and personal qualification already achieved.

2023 Pan American Games - Day 7 - photo © US Sailing Team

"Going to a Games like this is always a really good experience. At the end of a hard week, being on top of the podium and hearing your national anthem is a really cool moment," said Moroz. "It was a tricky week with some really hard conditions, but the Pan Am Games are an important stop on the road to Paris so I'm glad I was able to be here.

From here I'm heading straight into winter training, spending time in the gym in Miami and some on the water time in Mexico before the Princessa Sofia regatta next spring."

Also winning Gold and their medal race is the USA 49er team of Ian Barrows (St. Thomas, USVI) and Hans Henken (Coronado, Calif.). Their gold caps a successful season: Barrow/Henken placed 7th at the Olympic Test Event and 9th at the Combined World Championships, where they also helped qualify the US in the 49er class for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

After taking home the USA's first ever 49er Pan American Gold medal, Barrows said, "Winning Gold feels amazing. There's been a lot of hard work put in with our team and to be able to come here and pull it off against some good teams [feels great]," said Barrows.

"We're incredibly excited to be here and win a gold at the Pan American Games, it's a stepping stone for us," said Henken. "What we really want to do [win selection] for Marseilles and stand on the podium at the Olympic Games!"

In the iQFOiL classes, Dominique Stater (Miami, Fla.) secured a silver medal and qualified the USA for a spot in the Women's iQFOiL at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

"I'm happy to have sailed well - the final was a bit crazy, but it was a great event," said Stater. "My mom learned to windsurf here in Algarrobo when she was my age, so it means a lot to be able to compete here at such an important event.

It's a huge relief to have qualified the US for the Olympics in the Women's iQFOiL - now it's off to Australia then Lanzarote to train before the Olympic trials in January."

Men's iQFOiL athlete Noah Lyons (Clearwater, Fla.) came away from the medal series with a bronze medal. Because Lyons finished as the second North American country to Aruba, he and the rest of the American Men's iQFOiL squad will now turn their attention to qualify the country at the "Last Chance Regatta" in April 2024 in Hyeres, France.

It's a bronze for USA 49erFX team Stephanie Roble (East Troy, Wis.) and Maggie Shea (Wilmette, IL) after a challenging week sparring with some of the top FX teams in the world, including two-time 49erFX Olympic Gold Medalists, Brazil's Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze, who took home Gold today.

"It was exciting to go into the final day today with everything to play for," said Steph Roble. "We were excited about the conditions and had a nice start set up for the medal race but unfortunately pulled the trigger a little too early and were over the line. We did our best to get back in the mix and couldn't quite pull it off, but we're proud of our bronze and a week of beautiful racing in Algarrobo."

Tomorrow, Team USA will race in five of the seven remaining medal races with three already confirmed medals and another medal in reach in the Snipe class.

November 4th Schedule:

Track the racing here.

Watch the live broadcast here.