A1R Announces Inaugural Academy athletes

America One Racing has named the inaugural 10 athletes selected for the A1R High-Performance Academy, a new program created to help exceptional emerging sailors take a deliberate next step toward the highest levels of the sport.

The A1R Academy fills a critical space between broad-based talent development and the comprehensive support provided to established high-performance campaigns. With an emphasis on fast-evolving foiling disciplines, it will give each athlete an individualized plan built around a specific goal, defined performance benchmarks, advanced coaching, mentorship and high-level competition. Depending on the athlete, that goal may include preparing for Project Podium and a future Olympic campaign, competing for a world championship or pursuing an opportunity with SailGP, the America’s Cup or another professional program.

Meet the Inaugural Academy Athletes

Gavin Ball
Kaneohe, Hawaii 

Gavin has been part of A1R’s Foiling Pipeline for more than a year, and his experience and commitment have been instrumental in getting A1R’s Switch training program off the ground. He has matched that leadership with results, winning the 2025 U.S. Singlehanded and WASZP Americas championships before claiming the 2026 WASZP Games title.

Kay Brunsvold
Sarasota, Florida 

Kay’s progression from the youth Nacra 15 to the Olympic Nacra 17 reflects the kind of purposeful advancement the Academy was created to support. A 2021 U.S. Youth Champion and Youth Sailing World Championships silver medalist, she has already competed for the United States at the Nacra 17 World Championship. 

Garrett January
Belleair, Florida 

Garrett has grown within A1R’s Foiling Pipeline while training alongside Project Podium athletes Noah Lyons and Makani Andrews, gaining an everyday view of the standards required at the highest level. He has turned that experience into a breakthrough year, charging through the medal series to win silver at the 2026 U19 iQFOiL World Championship after finishing fourth at the 2025 Youth Sailing World Championships. 

JP Lattanzi
Honolulu, Hawaii 

An A1R Foiling Pipeline athlete for more than a year, JP has helped A1R push into one of sailing’s newest and fastest-changing disciplines with an adventurous mindset and a willingness to learn in real time. He won the 2025 U.S. Wingfoil Championship, placed fifth at the Silvaplana Wingfoil World Cup and finished 12th at the inaugural Wingfoil World Championships. 

Pearl Lattanzi
Honolulu, Hawaii 

Pearl brings a rare combination of raw talent, competitive instinct and a willingness to stay on the cutting edge of foiling. After more than a year in A1R’s Foiling Pipeline, she has become a back-to-back WASZP Games champion and is now exploring how that world-class ability can carry into Switch and Formula Wingfoil. 

Annie Sitzmann
Severna Park, Maryland 

Annie has shown that her speed, feel and competitive composure can translate across very different boats. She became the 2026 29er Mixed World Champion after winning bronze at the 2024 Youth Sailing World Championships, and she finished second at the 2026 WASZP Games. 

Tommy Sitzmann
Severna Park, Maryland 

Tommy has distinguished himself through his ability to move between traditional dinghy racing and high-speed foiling without lowering his competitive standard. In addition to finishing second at the 2025 WASZP Americas Championship and fourth at the 2026 WASZP Games, the Stanford skipper won A Division at the 2026 College Sailing Open Fleet Race National Championship and was named an Open All-American. 

Casey Small
Houston, Texas 

One of the Academy’s two youngest athletes, Casey has risen through the youth multihull ranks for more than a year. Sailing with Dylan Tomko, she won bronze at the 2025 Youth Sailing World Championships and U19 bronze at the 2026 Nacra 15 World Championship, while also expanding her foiling experience with a fourth-place finish at the 2026 WASZP Games. 

Dylan Tomko
Canyon Lake, Texas

Also among the Academy’s youngest members, Dylan has developed through the youth pathway with more than a year of support from the Sailing Foundation of New York. With Casey Small, he followed a Youth Worlds bronze medal in 2025 by finishing fourth overall and earning U19 bronze at the 2026 Nacra 15 World Championship, demonstrating maturity well beyond his years. 

Holland Vierling
San Diego, California

After moving from the 29er into foiling, Holland is quickly establishing himself in the fast-evolving Wingfoil class. Competing in his first major Wingfoil regatta, he finished ninth overall and second in the U19 division at the 2026 U.S. Wingfoil Championship on San Francisco Bay. 

Together, these athletes represent the purpose of the Academy: identifying proven talent, establishing a clear next objective and providing the focused support required to pursue it. A1R will work with each athlete over a defined period to convert competitive promise into measurable progress and prepare them for the opportunity ahead. 

Following along on their journey at americaoneracing.us and on Instagram @americaoneracing.