Moroz and Slingsby Stay the Course for Sailing Greatness

California kite foiler Daniela Moroz has emerged victorious at the recent 53rd Semaine Olympique Française (French Olympic Week), winning a gold medal in the Women’s Formula Kite. The final day of competition was held last week in light winds, as the top ten individuals or teams in each of the ten Olympic events battled it out for the wins. Moroz needed to win only one race to win her event.

“It was super-light wind so there was a lot of pumping out of tacks and jibes. It was key to stay in the pressure and get to the right side of the course as quickly as possible, and I ended up coming away with the win on that first race of the day and securing the gold,” she said.

Also victorious were the women’s and men’s skiff teams. Steph Roble and Maggie Shea (49erFX) and Nevin Snow and Mac Agnese (49er) came second in their events to take the silver medals.

Moroz’s gold medal follows her win in the 51st Trofeo Princesa Sofía regatta, which wrapped in Palma de Mallorca on April 9. The three-time Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year secured gold and described the final day’s racing as “totally intense.” She needed to win two races to take the title, and in the final race was able to maneuver her way through the last jibe to secure the win.

You can read more about this and other recent race events in the May issue’s Racing Sheet.

Olympic medalist, champion sailor and Australian SailGP skipper Tom Slingsby will join the New York Yacht Club American Magic in its pursuit of the 37th America’s Cup. The 37-year-old sailor is expected to join the team in Pensacola, FL, later this summer as they prepare for the 2024 America’s Cup challenge, which will be sailed off Barcelona, Spain.

After being inspired by the sailing regattas held during the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the then 16-year-old Slingsby shifted his focus from tennis to sailing and proceeded to build a significant sailing résumé. His first medal wins were aboard Lasers, with three consecutive world championships and a 2012 Olympic gold medal. In 2013 Slingsby was strategist aboard the AC-winning boat Team Oracle. His most recent win was with SailGP’s Team Australia as he skippered the crew through their second successive SailGP campaign.

Although he is taking time to train and compete in the 2024 America’s Cup, Slingsby will again helm Team Australia in its next SailGP campaign.

Learn more about Slingsby and the San Francisco SailGP here, and his sailing career here.