| Name |
Hannah SWETT |
Joan TOUCHETTE |
MELISSA PURDY |
| Date of Birth |
25339 |
25630 |
25417 |
| Place of Birth |
New York, USA |
Washington DC, USA |
California, USA |
| Profession |
Real Estate/Sailor |
Retail Sales/Sailor |
Pizza Maker |
| ISAF Sailor ID |
USAHS2 |
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| Age started sailing |
6 |
3 |
10 |
| First boat sailed |
Blue Jay |
O’Day day sailor with my parents |
Gladiator |
| Age started racing |
10 |
13 |
12 |
| First boat raced |
Blue Jay |
Laser |
El Toro |
| What inspired you to take up sailing? |
My family inspired me to sail |
Since my parents had a boat and spent every weekend in the summer on it…I did too. When I was older I realised it was a lot of fun! |
Boys |
| How did you buy your first boat? |
My brother and sister gave me my first 420 |
My parents bought me a Laser. I had the boat for 11 yeas. I sold it when I was in San Diego sailing the cup in 1995 |
Family Boat |
| Which was your first sailing club? |
Conanicut Yacht Club, Jamestown, RI |
Severn Sailing Association |
San Francisco Yacht Club |
| First Event competed in and Year |
Narragansett Bay Jr Race Week in 1979 |
Weekend Junior Racing in Lasers in 1983 |
SFYC El Toro Regatta in 1981 |
| First Event won and Year |
NBYA Jr Race Week |
Fishing Bay Junior Division in Lasers in 1985 |
Bill Black Award in 1982 |
| Principle achievements |
Collegiate National Champion |
Rebuilding a junior program at Connanacut Yacht Club. |
1st 2003 Yngling World Championship |
| Principle achievements |
Collegiate All-American |
The America’s Cup in 1995 and 2000 |
2nd Athens Pre-Olympics |
| Principle achievements |
Rolex Women’s Keelboat World Champion |
Sailing six legs of the 97-98 Whitbread |
2nd Yngling Open World Championship |
| Principle achievements |
America’s Cup 1995-The Women’s Team |
|
|
| Principle achievements |
Yngling World Champion 2003 |
|
|
| Principle achievements |
Silver Medal pre-Olympics 2002 & 2003 |
|
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| Principle achievements |
Silver Medal Yngling Open World Championship 2003 |
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| Detail the personal highlights of your sailing career to date |
Being chosen for the All Women’s America’s Cup team was a highlight. I was one of only three women to sail every race. Beating Olympic and World Champions to win the Yngling World Championship is another highlight. |
Winning the opening race of the 95 Cup Challenger Series against Stars and Stripes, sailing on EF Education under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on Leg 6 of the Whitbread and winning the ISAF World Championship this year with Hannah and Melissa. |
1991 ICYRA (college) Women’s National Champions, Brown University |
| Detail the personal highlights of your sailing career to date |
Being chosen for the All Women’s America’s Cup team was a highlight. I was one of only three women to sail every race. Beating Olympic and World Champions to win the Yngling World Championship is another highlight. |
Winning the opening race of the 95 Cup Challenger Series against Stars and Stripes, sailing on EF Education under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on Leg 6 of the Whitbread and winning the ISAF World Championship this year with Hannah and Melissa. |
1990/1991 College Women’s All-American |
| Detail the personal highlights of your sailing career to date |
Being chosen for the All Women’s America’s Cup team was a highlight. I was one of only three women to sail every race. Beating Olympic and World Champions to win the Yngling World Championship is another highlight. |
Winning the opening race of the 95 Cup Challenger Series against Stars and Stripes, sailing on EF Education under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on Leg 6 of the Whitbread and winning the ISAF World Championship this year with Hannah and Melissa. |
1995 America 3 Women’s Team, Louis Vuitton Cup 2nd, mainsheet trimmer |
| Detail the personal highlights of your sailing career to date |
Being chosen for the All Women’s America’s Cup team was a highlight. I was one of only three women to sail every race. Beating Olympic and World Champions to win the Yngling World Championship is another highlight. |
Winning the opening race of the 95 Cup Challenger Series against Stars and Stripes, sailing on EF Education under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on Leg 6 of the Whitbread and winning the ISAF World Championship this year with Hannah and Melissa. |
2001 Volvo Ocean Race, trimmer/tactician Legs 1, 3, 5, 6 |
| What are your future sailing aspirations? |
Gold Medal Athens 2004 |
Next year our goal is to first win the US Olympic trials and then go on to the Olympics. Beyond that I have not really thought it out. If the right Volvo campaign came up I might think about that again. |
To win a medal at the Athens Olympic Regatta |
| Briefly state what sailing means to you |
A challenging and intellectual way to be competitive. |
Sailing is all consuming. At different times it has meant different things. There have been times when it has been work, and other times when it is joy in its purest form and it changes from minute to minute. |
Friendship, adventure, travel |
| Who has had the greatest impact or inspiration in your sailing career and why? |
Brad Dellenbaugh, Brown University Sailing Coach had the greatest impact on my sailing. Brad recruited such incredible talent to my freshman class that in order to succeed I must be more disciplined about my approach to sailing. |
My mother, Jennie. She loved sailing, just to be outside and enjoying being on the water. Unfortunately she passed away before my sailing really took off, but I am sure she would be proud of me. |
Coaches – keep you focussed on improving and performing well. |
| Who do you consider to be your sailing hero? |
My family as a whole is my hero. Britton Chance, my grandfather earned a Gold Medal in Helsinki. Jan O’mally my Aunt is a multiple Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year. Eleanor Chance Burgess, my Mom is a New York Yacht Club Champion. |
Sir Peter Blake |
I raced in the 2.4 Meter class, and I was impressed by the disabled sailors competing in the hundred boat fleet. |
| What other sports do you participate in outside of sailing? |
Ice hockey, skiing and tennis |
Mountain biking when I have time! |
Skiing, mountain biking and wake-boarding |
| Who do you consider to be the greatest sailor in the World and why? |
There are many good sailors in the world. The best are the ones that combine excellence in big boats, small boats and are at the top match racing. |
Olin Stephens. As a sailor and a designer he has had an amazing impact on all parts of sailing |
Steven Callahan – he spent 76 days lost at sea alone drifting 1800 miles on an inflatable life-raft |
| Briefly state what being nominated for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award 2003 means to you |
Our hard work and hours of sailing have paid off and are being recognised by the sailing community. |
To be nominated is overwhelming. I see us as good sailors working hard to achieve a goal. |
Wow – what an honour |
| If voted as the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2003, briefly say what will this mean to you? |
Being ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2003 would mean being recognised as the best in the world for winning key regattas under pressure in a highly competitive Pre-Olympic year. We started the year with a crucial victory in the United States Olympic Pre-Trials, we earned Silver medals at Kiel Week, Athens Pre-Olympics and Open Worlds and ended the Year with an ISAF Gold Medal. |
To be considered is an honour, to win…amazing. |
Highest recognition award in sailing |
| If voted as the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2003, briefly say what will this mean to you? |
Being ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2003 would mean being recognised as the best in the world for winning key regattas under pressure in a highly competitive Pre-Olympic year. We started the year with a crucial victory in the United States Olympic Pre-Trials, we earned Silver medals at Kiel Week, Athens Pre-Olympics and Open Worlds and ended the Year with an ISAF Gold Medal. |
To be considered is an honour, to win…amazing. |
It would be a wonderful thank you to my parents who have been taking over my responsibilities at home flipping pizzas at my restaurant. |
Hannah, Joan and Melissa have enjoyed an outstanding year in the Yngling class, culminating in taking the ISAF World Championship title in Cadiz in September, going one place better than their result at the Open World Championship in July 2003.
