Clearwater Sailor to Represent U.S. in Olympics
Zack Railey heads for 2008 Beijing Olympics
Clearwater sailor, Zach Railey, will be representing the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The 23 year-old, 6 foot 4 inch athlete was born in St. Petersburg and began his sailing career in the Clearwater Yacht Club Youth Sailing Program when he was eight years-old.
Zach worked his way through the developmental classes learning and steadily increasing his level of competitive sailing. At the age of 16, he transitioned into his first Olympic class boat called the Laser Standard. He did his first Olympic Campaign for the 2004 Athens Games with a goal in mind to learn the process of what it takes to compete in the Olympics.
Since graduating from the University of Miami with a degree in Sports Administration and Business Management, Zach has been able to dedicate himself to training for the Olympics full time in a Finn Class boat. The Finn Class is considered to be the toughest and most mentally challenging Olympic Class boat. He took that challenge head on and within a three year period, established himself as the #1 Finn Sailor in the United States.
In order to compete in the Olympics, the United States Olympic Committee requires a sailor to win a one week regatta called the US Olympic Trials. Zach triumphantly won the Finn Olympic Trials held in Newport Harbor, California, sailing against competitors with an average age of 10+ years over him. In order to stay in optimum sailing condition, Zach has devoted himself to an intense physical and mental training program, including competing in various regattas in the United States, Australia, China, Holland, Italy, France, Germany, and Spain. Zach recently received a bronze medal at the Princess Sofia Regatta in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. He has earned a number of awards since the onset of his sailing career, including the youngest ever American Finn US Olympic Team member.
In addition to Zach, the Clearwater Yacht Club was proud to support four other sailors competing in the Olympic Trials last fall, three of whom learned to sail in the Club’s Youth Sailing Program. Zach’s sister, Paige Railey, is first alternate in the Laser Radial Class and, at 19 years-old, was named the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year in 2006. Sixteen-year-old Emily Billing also competed in the Laser Radial Class and placed 6th overall. Two sailors competed in the Laser Standard Class, the current CYC youth sailing coach, Kurt Taulbee, and Brad Funk, who is the first alternate in that Class. The Clearwater Yacht Club is a small club by national standards, but has proven to be anything but small in producing Olympic Class sailors!
To learn more about the Clearwater Yacht Club’s Youth Sailing Program, log onto www.clwyc.org . And to learn more about Zach Railey and his quest for Olympic Gold, log onto www.zachtochina.com
