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Factfile
Name	Anna Tunnicliffe
Nation	USA
Date of Birth	17 October 1982
Place of Birth	Doncaster, UK
Website	www.annatunnicliffe.com

Anna Tunnicliffe is an athlete of the highest order and a world class ambassador for sailing. The depth of her talent is illustrated by her success in a variety of boats and disciplines. Since winning the gold medal in the Laser Radial at the Beijing Olympics, Tunnicliffe has succesfully combined the one-person Laser Radial with match racing in her training and competition schedule. Tunnicliffe's first event after her Olympic win was the US Women's Match Racing Championship. Victory in Rochester qualififed Tunnicliffe and her team to represent the USA at the ISAF Nations Cup Regional Final where they picked up another victory. Between these events, Tunnicliffe switched disciplines and headed to Spain for the Snipe Women's World Championship where she finished second overall.

After winning the gold medal at the Laser Radial North Americans and silver at the Laser Midwinters east, Tunnicliffe was back on the match racing scene, competing at the ISAF Nations Cup Final in Porte Alegre, Brazil. The team won the bronze medal.

Back in the Laser Radial, Tunnicliffe set out to win the inaugural ISAF Sailing World Cup. In December she got off to a flying start in Melbourne clinching her first victory and since then she has not looked back. Two more gold medals in Miami and Hyères, bronze in Kiel and no result lower than sixth, Tunnicliffe had set herself up with an unassailable lead in the overall standings.

Laser Radial

1 - Sail Melbourne International Regatta, Melbourne, AUS - ISAF Grade 1 - Dec 2008
1 - US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR, Miami, USA - ISAF Grade 1 - Jan 2009
1 - Women's Laser Radial North American Championship, Florida, USA - ISAF Grade 1 - Feb 2009
2 - Laser Midwinters East, Clearwater, USA - ISAF Grade 1 - Feb 2009
6 - Trofeo SAR Princesa Sofia MAPFRE, Palma de Majorca, ESP - ISAF Grade 2 - Apr 2009
1 - Semaine Olympique Française, Hyères, FRA - ISAF Grade 1 - Apr 2009
5 - Delta Lloyd Regatta, Medemblik, NED - ISAF Grade 1 - May 2009
3 - Kieler Woche, Kiel, GER - ISAF Grade 1 - Jun 2009
3 - Laser Radial Women's World Championship, Karatsu, JPN - ISAF Grade W - Aug 2009
Snipe
2 - Snipe Women's World Championship, Roquetas al Mar, ESP - Sep 2008

Match Racing

1 - US Women's Match Racing Championship, Rochester, USA - ISAF Grade 3 - Sep 2008
1 - ISAF Nations Cup Regional Final (N America & Caribbean), Charleston, USA - ISAF Grade 2 - Nov 2008
3 - Carlos Aguilar Memorial Match Race, St Thomas, ISV - ISAF Grade 3 - Dec 2008
3 - ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final, Porte Alegre, BRA - ISAF Grade 1 - Mar 2009
1 - NYYC Women's Match Racing Regatta, New York, USA - ISAF Grade 2 - May 2009
6 - Knickerbocker Cup, Manhasset Bay, USA - ISAF Grade 2 - Aug 2009

Q&A

What inspired you to take up sailing?

My parents forced me to learn how to sail, but i took to competitive sailing when i was 12 years old, and fell in love with it as i grew older.

What was the first boat you ever sailed and how old were you?

A pram that my dad made for me.

Name your first sailing club

Rutland Sailing Club

What was the first event you competed in and in what year?

Optimist Inland Championships 1993

What are you personal sailing career highlights?

Gold Medal 2008 Olympic Games
2009 Radial World Championships - bronze medal
2009 ISAF Grade 2 Open Match Race - Detroit Cup - 1st

What are your future sailing goals?

Win a Gold Medal, America's Cup

Who has had the greatest impact on your sailing and career and why?

My husband. He has been supportive of me since the day he met me. He was my training partner for the Olympics, and helps me in my sailing whenever he can.

Who is your sailing hero?

Robert Scheidt, Nick Scandone, Maureen McKinnon-Tucker

What other sports do you enjoy?

Running, Triathlons

What does being nominated for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards mean to you and how would you feel if you were voted the winner?

It is such an honour. I'm so happy to be nominated. Its such an honour to be nominated to be on a list of so many great sailors.