Erika Reineke

Erika started her sailing endeavors in the Optimist Dinghy at age 8 through the Lauderdale Yacht Club program. However, it wasn’t till she decided to dedicate her life to the sport at age 12 that she started to win titles. In the Optimist, she won two consecutive Girl’s National Championships, placed 4th in the Coed National Championship, and qualified to compete internationally for the United States at a young age. Moving up from the Opti, she was inspired to pursue Olympic endeavors in the ILCA 6. In the Radial, she qualified to represent the United States in the 2010 ISAF Youth Worlds in Istanbul, Turkey bringing home a bronze medal. Shortly after Turkey, she traveled to Largs, Scotland where she won her first ILCA Youth World Championship. The following year Erika qualified again for the ISAF Youth Worlds in Zadar, Croatia, this time earning a silver medal. Later in 2011, she was able to defend her title as the ILCA Youth World Champion making it her second World Champion title. That year she also competed in and won the United States Youth Championship consisting of the top sailors in the country from age 15-19. Ending her youth career in 2012, she solidified a third World Championship title in Boltenhagen, Germany in the U21 Division while placing 8th overall in the Women’s Division. After high school, Erika went on to pursue College Sailing goals at Boston College with Coach Greg Wilkinson. During her four years there, she learned how to be teammate, leader, and champion. In 2017, her team pushed her to become the first person to win four Singlehanded National Championships. Throughout her college sailing career, she became a four-time Women’s All-American, Coed All-American, three-time Quantum Women’s Sailor of the Year Finalist later earning the title in 2017, and a College Sailor of the Year Finalist. Other accolades received at Boston College include four Women’s MVP Awards and a Leadership Award from the Athletic Department. In the spring of 2017, she graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Geosciences and was named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll. Transitioning from College Sailing to a full-time Olympic campaigner in the spring of 2017, she had a phenomenal first year on the international circuit. Winning the first event held at the 2020 Olympic Games venue in Tokyo, Japan, she showed that the U.S. had medal potential in four years time. Later that year, Erika was voted Rolex Yachtswomen on the Year and received the award at the New York Yacht Club. This award is one of the most prestigious in the sport. Though she earned multiple podium finishes throughout the 2020 Olympic quadrennium, she fell short of the qualifying for the Games. However, her passion for the sport never wavered. She transitioned into the double-handed women’s skiff, the 49er FX, to crew for two years and gained invaluable experience in another Olympic class hull. Ultimately, she made the decision to return to the ILCA 6 in the fall of 2022. Her enthusiasm for the boat reignited at the ILCA World Championships where she was in medal contention. In the end, she placed 10th overall, earned Tier 1 status on the US Sailing Team, and finished top American. Now embarking on a new yet familiar journey towards the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, she is confident that the right team behind her. Erika and her coach, Erik Bowers, will set out these next two years to train and perform to the best of their ability. She is excited to have the opportunity again to make her country proud in the ILCA 6 class and grateful for her friends, family, sponsors, and supporters who have joined her in aiming to take home Olympic gold next year. Career Highlights: • 2x ILCA 6 Youth World Champion • U21 ILCA 6 World Champion • 4x Women’s Collegiate Single-handed National Champion • 4x Collegiate All-American • 13x US Sailing Team Athlete • 2016 Melges 32 World Champion • 2017 Quantum Women’s Sailor of the Year • 2017 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year • 2017 Aarhus Test Event - SILVER • 2017 Enoshima Olympic Week - GOLD • 2019 Princess Sofia Regatta – BRONZE • 2020 Miami World Cup – GOLD • 2021 Women’s 2v2 Team Race Champion • 2022 Women’s 2v2 Team Race Champion • 2022 SailGP Cadiz Event - SILVER • 2023 ILCA 6 Olympic Test Event Representative (future event) • 2023 ILCA 6 Pan American Games Representative (future event)