AmericaOne Racing Team off to promising start towards LA 2028
All 9 athletes of the athletes who make up AmericaOne Racing’s Project Podium Team competed in the Princess Sofia Regatta in Palma that ended this weekend. Palma is the first major regatta of the European season, and the first full test at the start of the 2028 Olympic Quad. The team hit the ground running in Palma after solid winter training blocks in locations including Argentina, Guatemala, Egypt, Florida, and Spain.
Standout performances included both A1R skiff teams. Nevin Snow and Ian MacDiarmid placed 6th in the 91 boat 49er fleet. Nevin and Ian are individually quite experienced in the class but brand new as a team, with this being their first major international regatta together. Major training blocks in Argentina and Florida this winter led by coach Klaus Lange paid big dividends. They sailed extremely well in a strong fleet, showing they can be a force to contend with at the LA 2028 Games. After a short break they are on to Hyeres Regatta (late April) then the European Championships (Greece in early June). When asked he they felt Ian said “Having been out of the boat for a year with only a few months of training, we are really happy with our first test and looking for more in a few weeks in Hyeres.”
Paris Henken and Helena Scutt were very young Olympians in Rio 2016, and have now teamed up again 9 years later, Despite a fairly short leadup (they started training together 7 weeks before the regatta), a strong process-oriented approach led primarily by coaches Willie McBride (training) and Hans Henken (regatta) helped them achieve consistent incremental gains. They finished qualification in 18th, moved up to 10th by the end of Gold Fleet racing to qualify for the Medal Race, then finished 4th in the Medal Race to finish 8th overall in a fleet of 46. Paris said “We were pleasantly surprised with our performance. I think this shows how much potential we have as a team. We have a lot to learn, but Helena has gotten back up to speed really quickly after 9 years out of the boat. This gives us confidence that we are on the right path as we push towards LA 2028.”
Charlotte Rose finished 13th in the 114 boat ILCA 6 class. Charlotte and her coach Nick Thompson are also taking a very process-oriented approach to the 2025 season, and are building towards the ILCA 6 Worlds in China in May. Noah Runciman also finished 13th out of 63 in the Formula Kite fleet. This was his best ever finish in a major event, and he and his coach Chris Rashley have a solid training and racing plan leading towards the 2025 Formula Kite Worlds in Sardinia.
2024 Olympian Noah Lyons battled through illness to finish 21st in a fleet of 111 IQ Foil windsurfers. He rallied for an amazing scoreline on Day 3 of the event, winning all 4 of his heats and showing his potential to battle for future podiums. Noah’s 17-year old training partner Makani Andrews had an exceptional performance in his first ever senior (adult) international IQ event, qualifying for Gold Fleet and ending up 40th overall. Dominique Stater flashed some strong upwind speed at times, but inconsistencies led to an overall finish of 30th. Led by coaches Juanma Moreno (IQ Men) and Pedro Pascual (IQ Women), the A1R IQ Program is clearly showing promise for 2028 and beyond.
The AmericaOne Racing Team was supported in Palma by 6 coaches and a physio, as well as A1R Executive Director Leandro Spina and Head Coach Charlie McKee. High level remote weather forecasting and rules advisory services were also provided. After a short recovery period most of the team reconvenes in Hyeres France for the Semaine Olympique Francaise Regatta April 21 – 26.
About America One Racing: America One Racing (A1R) is dedicated to developing high-potential sailors and preparing them for success on the world stage. A1R provides athletes with elite coaching, performance planning, and cutting-edge resources to compete in top international events, including the Olympic Games, Pan American Games, and Youth World Championships. A1R’s commitment to youth development takes place through its Foiling Platform and squad training. Building on America One’s 25-year legacy of advancing sailing in the U.S., A1R continues to shape the future of the sport, ensuring American sailors have the tools to reach the podium. For more information, visit www.americaoneracing.us.