US SAILING STATEMENT ON RIOS-HALL HEARINGS
The
US Providence , Rhode Island USA
at the US Olympic Trials held in October 2007. The hearing was conducted "de novo" (that is from the beginning with all testimony from the prior hearing disregarded) on April 8th. After hearing all evidence, the jury granted redress to Ms Rios. Farrah Hall (USA 9 AM on April 9th and ended at 10 PM . The jury concluded the evening by stating that it would render a decision as soon as possible.
At issue were a tear in Ms Rios' sail caused in a collision with a competitor required to keep clear and the time Ms Rios took to recover her sail and resume racing. The collision took place at the start of the final race in the Olympic Trials. At that time Ms Rios was winning the regatta. .Both Ms Hall and Ms Rios agreed that the tear occurred in that incident,
and that the tear affected. Ms Rios' performance. Both athletes also agreed that the collision caused Ms Rios to lose some time. The athletes disagreed, however, on the extent to which Ms Rios was affected. -- Read on: http://www.ussailing.org/News/2008/rios_hall_statement.asp
* Curmudgeon's Comment: We understand that if Hall is dissatisfied with the result of her redress hearing, she will follow through with all the options that remain: a complaint to the US Sailing Review Board, two complaints already filed with the US Olympic Committee, and the hearing already scheduled with the American Arbitration Association on May 21-23. For Rios, she will wait to decide on her next move following the results of Fall's redress hearing.
Great news! Windsurfing here to stay in 2012 Olympic Games. Windsurfing has been in the Olympic Games since 1984, so why after 23 years did it run a risk of being taking out of the Olympic Games? As you can image this is a very good but weighted question that has many different view points and perspectives with underlying issues of politics, governing bodies, passionate individuals pulling in all sorts of directions. After only a year of windsurfing and a half a year of being involved in Olympic windsurfing I have only begun to understand the complexity of that answer. Most Americans do not even know what windsurfing is or that is an Olympic sport. This lack of awareness only is a small part of the challenge that the few American windsurfers who dare to dream and dare to make their Olympic dream come true face. The Olympic Games is not just not about taking part but about the journey to get there. I glad to say the journey continues...to 2012.
Congratulations to all of those who participated in 2007 US Olympic Trials. Best wishes to Nancy Rios and Ben Barger who have earned the opportunity to represent the United States in 2008 Games. Let the journey to 2012 Games begin...Dare to Dream, Dare to Achieve, and Dare to Live those Dreams. Denise parris --------------------------------------------------------------------- ISAF DECIDES ON 2012 OLYMPIC EVENTS
(November 9, 2007) The ten sailing events for the 2012 Olympic Games have
been decided by the ISAF Council during the 2007 ISAF Annual
Conference.Today
in Estoril, Portugal, ISAF President Göran Petersson led the ISAF Council in
over two hours of debate and discussion before the ten events were decided.
The final slate of events was voted on by the members of the ISAF Council,
which is formed of the ISAF Executive Committee (elected for a four-year
term
in November 2004), 28 appointed members (representing each of the regional
groups of sailing nations), and representatives of the Offshore Committee,
ISAF Classes Committee and a Women's Representative. The selection of the
ten
events is subject to final confirmation from the International Olympic
Committee.
The ten events selected by the ISAF Council for the 2012 Olympic Sailing
Competition are:
One person dinghy - Men
One person dinghy heavy - Men
Two person dinghy - Men
Two person dinghy high performance - Men
Windsurfer - Men
Keelboat - Men
One person dinghy - Women
Two person dinghy - Women
Keelboat match racing - Women
Windsurfer - Women
The ten sailing events at the 2012 London Olympic Games will be held at the
Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. The equipment for the ten
sailing events at the 2012 Games will be selected by the ISAF Council in
November 2008. -- Complete report:
http://www.sailing.org/21257.php?PHPSESSID=6d273468a056938f11b4998f9f864c32
=> Curmudgeon’s Comment: The International Olympic Committee told ISAF that
they had to reduce the number of events from the eleven that will
participate
in the 2008 Olympic in Qingdao, down to ten events for the 2012 Games. If
you are trying to figure out what got changed, the list of events is the
same
except the multihull got eliminated.
The complete Friday Issue 2472 can be found here:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/archived_Detail.asp?key=3788
--------------------------------------------
The opinions expressed in Scuttlebutt do not necessarily reflect those of
its editors or advertisers.
SCUTTLEBUTT WEBSITE: Features include the Latest Issue and all Archived
issues, Subscription Information, Forum, Event Calendar, Classified Ads,
Photo Galleries, Scuttleblog, Sailing Library, plus the Scuttlebutt Sailing
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San Diego, CA 92103, USA
Day 5: Hanging on with smart sailing This morning was colder and cloudier than usual, which made the sea breeze very weak and late in coming. We had two races in non-planing conditions and in both the wind was very light, 8 knots or less. Again the right side of the course was favored and it was just a race to see who could get to the right spot the fastest. My board speed had improved over the past few days as I got more dialed into the conditions and I was able to hang with the lightweight girls better. Although I was definitely not as fast upwind, I had good downwind speed. I made good decisions as to where to go on the downwind course, covered a few sailors, and finished with two second places. It is becoming a battle of the conditions as Nancy Rios is really fast in the light wind, and I do well when it starts getting windy. Nancy took the day with two firsts, but I was really happy that I could hang in there with two second places and overall was pleased with my performance today. 
My coach says: The light wind can be a problem for Farrah but today she proved that she can be really fast. There is of course more work to do but overall this was a really good day, and she is still leading. We are ready for tomorrow when there will be some planing conditions and she will increase her lead. Now she must relax for the work tomorrow. 
Day 4: Taking it back
First of all…check out my website for new pictures of the event!! http://farrah-hall.com/photos/index.php
This morning, I looked outside and saw the sea breeze starting to fill early. Sure enough, by race time, we had about 15 knots of breeze…which built to about 20 by the time the boys started. We had some crazy puffs of about 25 coming through the start as we all prepared for the signal. I started on port and struggled to keep my board down, but had clear air. I rounded the windward mark first, but there was a lot of trash and kelp floating in the water and I hit a long strand of kelp which wrapped itself around my fin. I had to stop and clear the fin, and Karen Marriott went by me. I spent the other two laps of the race trying to catch up to her as she is fast in the breeze. The last lap of the race, the wind started to become light. As the wind dropped to about 12 knots, I began to catch Karen on the downwind. Then I had a lucky break: She caught a piece of trash on her fin and had to stop and clear it…and I went by her to finish first. It was a very close race!!
The second race also had about 12-15 knots of breeze, but the wind was dying and there were lots of holes. The right was again favored and the fleet was consistently going that way. I had a port start and had to duck some of the other girls but going to the right really paid off. I planed all of the upwind legs but a few girls were sailing with the daggerboard down, and we all met up at the windward mark. However my downwind sailing was consistently better. Because the wind was dying, the committee shortened the course drastically on the last leg. I rounded the bottom mark first but the sun was so low I couldn’t see the new upwind mark. I went high on the right and got nervous so decided to tack. Good thing I did…I had overshot the new layline a little bit. I again finished first.
Two bullets in a row put me into first place by a couple points. I now have to defend my place. This is a good regatta with some mixed up results.
My coach says: It was a really beautiful day. We were waiting for the wind and finally it came. I am for sure happy that she won both races. Now we need two more days like this!
Day 3: There’s always hope
What a crazy day! Today the seabreeze was lazy and took its time filling in. The first race had light, non planing conditions of about 5 knots. I had another good start by the boat and everyone went left to catch the filling breeze. The girls have good speed in light wind and I was fourth around the windward mark. I had two good downwind legs and finished third, which was a good finish for me in the light wind.
The second race was really crazy. By this time the seabreeze had started to fill in to about 8 knots. I expected the left to again be favored, since the breeze had only just begun to fill and there was good pressure over there. Unfortunately it ended up being the wrong choice because there was a shift that made the right side favored. I went up the left with Nancy, but we rounded third and fourth. After another downwind (thankfully planing this time) I went the right way, but was really far behind. I decided to try something crazy to catch up and started planing upwind, which was going great until the wind started to die again. I again rounded the upwind mark in fourth…quite far behind the others. I was fighting really hard to stay planing. However, I again had a decent downwind leg and finished third.
Two third places today was a little disappointing, but the regatta has only just begun. We have ten more races, in which anything could happen. There are two more races tomorrow and then follows our lay day.
My coach’s view: Today Farrah made some good decisions to fix the mistakes she made while racing today. We talked about the last race for a while to make sure she knew her mistakes and can correct them tomorrow. In every race there is always the possibility to do well even if you have made mistakes.
Olympic Trials: Day 2
Although temperature were normal here in Long Beach today, there was a lot of wind drainage from the northwest affecting the sea breeze. Today’s first race, right on time, had about 4 knots of wind with a current running 90 degrees to the wind direction. I had a great start but my boardspeed was not so good. I was pointing too high and my sail had a little too much downhaul. I was fourth around the top mark, had a good downwind and caught the other girls at the downwind gate…but tacked over too early to get onto the lifting side of the current and was on the wrong side of the course to catch the sea breeze filling in. Ouch! Unfortunately it resulted in another 4th place finish.
The second race had much better conditions as the sea breeze filled in to about 12 knots. The first upwind leg wasn’t planing conditions and I was third around the windward mark, but blasted by the other girls on the downwind, and created a huge lead. The second upwind was planing and I increased the lead with superior boardspeed. I finished first…the same score as yesterday! For results see http://www.ussailing.org/olympics/OlympicTrials/
My coach says: Today we were sailing near a huge oil rig platform with lots of seals sitting on the frame underneath. The start line was about 100 meters from the oil rig so they could see everyone sailing. The seals looked really bored because Farrah was sailing the same as yesterday. What can I say? It was a great day. With the a 4th and 1st place finish, Farrah remains in second place with one point away from first. This was a nice beginning to the regatta and I hope that there will be more drama tomorrow.
US SAILING STATEMENT ON RIOS-
The
at the US Olympic Trials held in October 2007. The hearing was conducted "de novo" (that is from the beginning with all testimony from the prior hearing disregarded) on April 8th. After hearing all evidence, the jury granted redress to Ms Rios. Farrah Hall (
At issue were a tear in Ms Rios' sail caused in a collision with a competitor required to keep clear and the time Ms Rios took to recover her sail and resume racing. The collision took place at the start of the final race in the Olympic Trials. At that time Ms Rios was winning the regatta. .Both Ms Hall and Ms Rios agreed that the tear occurred in that incident,
and that the tear affected. Ms Rios' performance. Both athletes also agreed that the collision caused Ms Rios to lose some time. The athletes disagreed, however, on the extent to which Ms Rios was affected. -- Read on: http://www.ussailing.org/News/2008/rios_hall_statement.asp
* Curmudgeon's Comment: We understand that if Hall is dissatisfied with the result of her redress hearing, she will follow through with all the options that remain: a complaint to the US Sailing Review Board, two complaints already filed with the US Olympic Committee, and the hearing already scheduled with the American Arbitration Association on May 21-23. For Rios, she will wait to decide on her next move following the results of Fall's redress hearing.
Great news! Windsurfing here to stay in 2012 Olympic Games.
Congratulations to all of those who participated in 2007 US Olympic Trials. Best wishes to Nancy Rios and Ben Barger who have earned the opportunity to represent the United States in 2008 Games. Let the journey to 2012 Games begin...Dare to Dream, Dare to Achieve, and Dare to Live those Dreams.
(November 9, 2007) The ten sailing events for the 2012 Olympic Games have
been decided by the ISAF Council during the 2007 ISAF Annual
Conference.Today
in Estoril, Portugal, ISAF President Göran Petersson led the ISAF Council in
over two hours of debate and discussion before the ten events were decided.
The final slate of events was voted on by the members of the ISAF Council,
which is formed of the ISAF Executive Committee (elected for a four-year
term
in November 2004), 28 appointed members (representing each of the regional
groups of sailing nations), and representatives of the Offshore Committee,
ISAF Classes Committee and a Women's Representative. The selection of the
ten
events is subject to final confirmation from the International Olympic
Committee.
The ten events selected by the ISAF Council for the 2012 Olympic Sailing
Competition are:
One person dinghy - Men
One person dinghy heavy - Men
Two person dinghy - Men
Two person dinghy high performance - Men
Windsurfer - Men
Keelboat - Men
One person dinghy - Women
Two person dinghy - Women
Keelboat match racing - Women
Windsurfer - Women
The ten sailing events at the 2012 London Olympic Games will be held at the
Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. The equipment for the ten
sailing events at the 2012 Games will be selected by the ISAF Council in
November 2008. -- Complete report:
http://www.sailing.org/21257.php?PHPSESSID=6d273468a056938f11b4998f9f864c32
=> Curmudgeon’s Comment: The International Olympic Committee told ISAF that
they had to reduce the number of events from the eleven that will
participate
in the 2008 Olympic in Qingdao, down to ten events for the 2012 Games. If
you are trying to figure out what got changed, the list of events is the
same
except the multihull got eliminated.
The complete Friday Issue 2472 can be found here:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/archived_Detail.asp?key=3788
--------------------------------------------
The opinions expressed in Scuttlebutt do not necessarily reflect those of
its editors or advertisers.
SCUTTLEBUTT WEBSITE: Features include the Latest Issue and all Archived
issues, Subscription Information, Forum, Event Calendar, Classified Ads,
Photo Galleries, Scuttleblog, Sailing Library, plus the Scuttlebutt Sailing
Club: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com
For advertising rates and information:
mailto:advertising@sailingscuttlebutt.com
To unsubscribe:
http://inbox.lyris.net/u?id=3146135S&n=T&l=scuttlebutt&o=124327
A European version is available at: http://www.scuttlebutteurope.com
Send mail correspondence to:
Inbox Communications
4104 Eagle Street
San Diego, CA 92103, USA
This morning, I looked outside and saw the sea breeze starting to fill early. Sure enough, by race time, we had about 15 knots of breeze…which built to about 20 by the time the boys started. We had some crazy puffs of about 25 coming through the start as we all prepared for the signal. I started on port and struggled to keep my board down, but had clear air. I rounded the windward mark first, but there was a lot of trash and kelp floating in the water and I hit a long strand of kelp which wrapped itself around my fin. I had to stop and clear the fin, and Karen Marriott went by me. I spent the other two laps of the race trying to catch up to her as she is fast in the breeze. The last lap of the race, the wind started to become light. As the wind dropped to about 12 knots, I began to catch Karen on the downwind. Then I had a lucky break: She caught a piece of trash on her fin and had to stop and clear it…and I went by her to finish first. It was a very close race!!
Day 3: There’s always hope
Olympic Trials: Day 2
My coach says:
Farrah Hall
Nancy Rios, 18. Born: Orange County, CA
#1 on the US Sailing Team in RS: X class for the second year in a row
Nancy has been windsurfing for four years.
In 2004 and 2005 spent time as a sailing instructor for Collier County Parks and Recreation teaching the basic of sailing for special needs, children and adults
Nancy has participated at windsurfing events at the local, national and international level.
2003 - ISAF Youth World Championships – Madeira, Portugal
- Calema Midwinters Merritt Island, FL
-USA Olympic Trials – Jensen Beach, FL
2004 - ISAF Youth World Championships – Gydnia, Poland
2005- Island Style Classic/ North American Master Championships Sarasota, Florida
-Calema Midwinters Merritt Island, FL
2006 - US Sailing Team Trials – Miami, FL
- ISAF Youth World Championships – Weymouth, England
-Calema Midwinters Merritt Island, FL
- Olympic Test Event – Qingdao, China
-US Olympic Pre Trials- Long Beach, California
2007 - North American Championships Miami, FL
- US Sailing Team Trials – Miami, FL
Future Events:
2007 June - ISAF World Sailing Championship - Portugal
2007 July - Pan American Games - Brazil
2007 August - Pre Olympics - Qingdao, China
2007 October – US Olympic Trials - Long beach, California (winner represents USA at the 2008 Olympic Games)
FARRAH HALL
Olympic quest a full-time job
Broadneck grad holds No. 2 spot on U.S. windsurfing team
By WENDI WINTERS, For The Capital
Kids trolling the local waters on their sailboards might not be beach bums avoiding chores at home after all - they could be future Olympians.
Twenty-five-year-old Farrah Hall, a 1999 graduate of Broadneck High School, currently is the No. 2-ranked woman on the Olympic-bound U.S. National Team. She's moved up from No. 5 in 2005.
"The discipline practiced in the Olympics is course racing and is similar in format to sailboat regattas," Farrah said. "Races are run on the same 'trapezoid' and 'windward-leeward' courses as the other Olympic-class sailboats. These courses incorporate upwind, reaching, and downwind legs. Olympic-format regattas consist of 16 races over 9 days, with a typical day of competition consisting of two or three 45-minute races. All this adds up for some very intense competition."
Currently, the only thing that stands between Farrah and the No. 1 slot is Nancy Rios of Coco Beach, Fla., and money. It takes a lot of time and a modest amount of cash - a fraction of what Tiger Woods gets for one wristwatch commercial - to mount and maintain an Olympic campaign.
Only the woman in the No. 1 position is sent to the Olympics to represent the U.S. The No. 2 person is expected to attend as an alternate, but has to pay her own way.
Not too long ago, the blue-eyed, blonde Bruins track star was knocking around in the waters off Cape St. Claire, instead of practicing her violin for Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra concerts.
"We purchased a second-hand sailboat when she was around 13, and the owner threw in a windsurf board and sail as a freebie," recalled her mother, Linda Hall, a Cape St. Claire resident and art instructor at Annapolis High School. The Halls live across the street from Lake Claire.
"She really took to it," said Mrs. Hall. "Farrah would sail down the Magothy towards the Bay, but there sometimes wasn't enough wind to carry her back. She'd sit out there and wait for passing boats to give her a tow back to the Cape's main beach."
Besides violin, which she's played since she was 3, Farrah's focus in high school was on track. In the 1 and 2 mile races, she was ranked 4th in Maryland. She's run the Marine Corps Marathon in D.C., the B&A Trail Half Marathon, the Chesapeake Triathalon and various Thanksgiving Turkey Trots. From kindergarten through sixth grade, she was an avid swimmer on the Naval Academy Junior Swim Club team.
At Broadneck High, she wasn't voted "most likely" to do anything. "I wasn't part of that crowd," Farrah laughed. "I was pretty much a nerd in high school. I was so into running that was all I wanted to do." She also was a member of the school orchestra, as well as the All County and All State Orchestras.
Still, in the summer, she'd head out on the water and learned by herself how to bend the wind to her will.
At St. Mary's college, where she earned a B.A. in Biology, she was an award-winning member of the varsity swim team. In her sophomore year, her interest shifted to windsurfing and she began a club, which initially attracted three members. They started with some old longboards and rigs she'd haggled for at a local swap meet.
When Mike Gephardt, a two-time Olympic medalist, visited the campus on a recruiting trip, Farrah learned for the first time that windsurfing was an Olympic sport. She was hooked.
"The club grew so big, by her senior year, the college put up a new building on the waterfront," Mrs. Hall said. "The club was taking over the sailing space!"
About her name, her mother noted, it was selected when actress Farrah Fawcett was in celebrity ascendancy. "Farrah blended nicely with our last name. Her father wanted 'Dolly,' but I said NO!"
William Hall is an electronics engineer for Northrup Grumman, near BWI. Sole sibling Nathan, 23, works for Constellation Energy in Annapolis.
Farrah lives a nomadic life. She has an open job when she's in Florida, as a member of the biological research staff in seagrass ecology at the Florida Marine Research Institute in St. Petersburg. When in town, she rents a small room. The rest of the time, traversing the U.S. to attend windsurfing regattas and pre-Olympic qualifying trials on both coasts, she lives in her battered minivan.
Learning she slept most nights on her equipment bag, a friend recently installed a bed in the van.
"All I own is my board and some equipment," Farrah admitted. "My clothes fit in one bag and there's some room for my book library, my violin and a guitar. Oh, and a banjo I bought, but I'm too busy to learn."
"I have no boyfriend and no pets. Those are impossible with the lifestyle I have right now," she added wryly.
In 2006, she crisscrossed the country several times in her van and flew to regattas in Spain, Austria, Poland, Turkey and in Qingdao, China, where the 2008 Olympics will be held.
Usually, most airlines offer free or discounted rates for the young Olympians and their huge, unwieldy baggage containing their sailboards, sails and equipment. But, Mrs. Hall, who traveled to China to cheer on the American athletes, recounted how a Russian airline employee stubbornly insisted Farrah pay $2,500 to depart China for a flight that landed in Moscow, en route to Vienna. A friend argued with the belligerent official until five minutes before the flight. Finally, he allowed them to board, but wanted $250 each.
In a carefully detailed spreadsheet, Farrah plots out her expenses for the year ahead. Her single board is getting ratty from abuse in the water and at airports, and most Olympians own one regular board and a spare. Equipment costs were $6,197 in 2006. Airfare and regatta-related expenses last year were $7,600. Coaching by Olympic medalist Mike Gebhardt was $2,000.
"Between my work in Florida and donations, if I got $30,000 a year, I could hold down a real apartment and fly to U.S. regattas," she said wistfully. Contributions to the Farrah Hall Olympic Campaign are tax deductible. Details and sponsorship levels can be viewed on her Web site, www.farrah-hall.com. Donations can be made in the form of product discounts, products, cash or a salary arrangement.
She's pleased with a couple of sponsors already lined up: Flow Yoga in Hood River, Ore., where she often sails, gives her free yoga lessons when she's in town. One sponsor gives her a regular supply of energy bars. Closer to home is Alan's Factory Outlet in Hughesville. "Friends and family have helped a lot over the years. They've been there when I needed help," Farrah said.
Coming up this month are two important regattas over a three-week period in Miami: The RS:X (the official type of board) North American Regatta on Thursday, followed by the Miami Olympic Class Regatta on Jan. 21. "That will give us our ranking in the U.S. for 2007 - it's the one that counts," Farrah said.
In October, there are regattas in Long Beach, Calif., to determine who will go to the Olympics in 2008.
Looking ahead, she's already thinking about another campaign for the 2012 Olympics. Or, she may head to grad school. Her long-term game plan is to earn a Ph.D. and teach college level ecology.
Right now, though, she's reaching for the elusive brass ring - make that the five gold rings that represent the Olympics. "She's sacrificed a lot. She has her heart set on this," said her mom. "She's really driven."
Wendi Winters is a freelance writer living on the Broadneck Peninsula.
- No Jumps-
Published January 07, 2007, The Capital
, Annapolis, Md.
Copyright © 2007 The Capital, Annapolis, Md.
Nancy Rios,
Nancy has been windsurfing for four years.
Kids trolling the local waters on their sailboards might not be beach bums avoiding chores at home after all - they could be future Olympians.
"The discipline practiced in the Olympics is course racing and is similar in format to sailboat regattas," Farrah said. "Races are run on the same 'trapezoid' and 'windward-leeward' courses as the other Olympic-class sailboats. These courses incorporate upwind, reaching, and downwind legs. Olympic-format regattas consist of 16 races over 9 days, with a typical day of competition consisting of two or three 45-minute races. All this adds up for some very intense competition."
Currently, the only thing that stands between Farrah and the No. 1 slot is Nancy Rios of Coco Beach, Fla., and money. It takes a lot of time and a modest amount of cash - a fraction of what Tiger Woods gets for one wristwatch commercial - to mount and maintain an Olympic campaign.
Only the woman in the No. 1 position is sent to the Olympics to represent the U.S. The No. 2 person is expected to attend as an alternate, but has to pay her own way.
Not too long ago, the blue-eyed, blonde Bruins track star was knocking around in the waters off Cape St. Claire, instead of practicing her violin for Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra concerts.
"We purchased a second-hand sailboat when she was around 13, and the owner threw in a windsurf board and sail as a freebie," recalled her mother, Linda Hall, a Cape St. Claire resident and art instructor at Annapolis High School. The Halls live across the street from Lake Claire.
"She really took to it," said Mrs. Hall. "Farrah would sail down the Magothy towards the Bay, but there sometimes wasn't enough wind to carry her back. She'd sit out there and wait for passing boats to give her a tow back to the Cape's main beach."
Besides violin, which she's played since she was 3, Farrah's focus in high school was on track. In the 1 and 2 mile races, she was ranked 4th in Maryland. She's run the Marine Corps Marathon in D.C., the B&A Trail Half Marathon, the Chesapeake Triathalon and various Thanksgiving Turkey Trots. From kindergarten through sixth grade, she was an avid swimmer on the Naval Academy Junior Swim Club team.
At Broadneck High, she wasn't voted "most likely" to do anything. "I wasn't part of that crowd," Farrah laughed. "I was pretty much a nerd in high school. I was so into running that was all I wanted to do." She also was a member of the school orchestra, as well as the All County and All State Orchestras.
Still, in the summer, she'd head out on the water and learned by herself how to bend the wind to her will.
At St. Mary's college, where she earned a B.A. in Biology, she was an award-winning member of the varsity swim team. In her sophomore year, her interest shifted to windsurfing and she began a club, which initially attracted three members. They started with some old longboards and rigs she'd haggled for at a local swap meet.
When Mike Gephardt, a two-time Olympic medalist, visited the campus on a recruiting trip, Farrah learned for the first time that windsurfing was an Olympic sport. She was hooked.
"The club grew so big, by her senior year, the college put up a new building on the waterfront," Mrs. Hall said. "The club was taking over the sailing space!"
About her name, her mother noted, it was selected when actress Farrah Fawcett was in celebrity ascendancy. "Farrah blended nicely with our last name. Her father wanted 'Dolly,' but I said NO!"
William Hall is an electronics engineer for Northrup Grumman, near BWI. Sole sibling Nathan, 23, works for Constellation Energy in Annapolis.
Farrah lives a nomadic life. She has an open job when she's in Florida, as a member of the biological research staff in seagrass ecology at the Florida Marine Research Institute in St. Petersburg. When in town, she rents a small room. The rest of the time, traversing the U.S. to attend windsurfing regattas and pre-Olympic qualifying trials on both coasts, she lives in her battered minivan.
Learning she slept most nights on her equipment bag, a friend recently installed a bed in the van.
"All I own is my board and some equipment," Farrah admitted. "My clothes fit in one bag and there's some room for my book library, my violin and a guitar. Oh, and a banjo I bought, but I'm too busy to learn."
"I have no boyfriend and no pets. Those are impossible with the lifestyle I have right now," she added wryly.
In 2006, she crisscrossed the country several times in her van and flew to regattas in Spain, Austria, Poland, Turkey and in Qingdao, China, where the 2008 Olympics will be held.
Usually, most airlines offer free or discounted rates for the young Olympians and their huge, unwieldy baggage containing their sailboards, sails and equipment. But, Mrs. Hall, who traveled to China to cheer on the American athletes, recounted how a Russian airline employee stubbornly insisted Farrah pay $2,500 to depart China for a flight that landed in Moscow, en route to Vienna. A friend argued with the belligerent official until five minutes before the flight. Finally, he allowed them to board, but wanted $250 each.
In a carefully detailed spreadsheet, Farrah plots out her expenses for the year ahead. Her single board is getting ratty from abuse in the water and at airports, and most Olympians own one regular board and a spare. Equipment costs were $6,197 in 2006. Airfare and regatta-related expenses last year were $7,600. Coaching by Olympic medalist Mike Gebhardt was $2,000.
"Between my work in Florida and donations, if I got $30,000 a year, I could hold down a real apartment and fly to U.S. regattas," she said wistfully. Contributions to the Farrah Hall Olympic Campaign are tax deductible. Details and sponsorship levels can be viewed on her Web site, www.farrah-hall.com. Donations can be made in the form of product discounts, products, cash or a salary arrangement.
She's pleased with a couple of sponsors already lined up: Flow Yoga in Hood River, Ore., where she often sails, gives her free yoga lessons when she's in town. One sponsor gives her a regular supply of energy bars. Closer to home is Alan's Factory Outlet in Hughesville. "Friends and family have helped a lot over the years. They've been there when I needed help," Farrah said.
Coming up this month are two important regattas over a three-week period in Miami: The RS:X (the official type of board) North American Regatta on Thursday, followed by the Miami Olympic Class Regatta on Jan. 21. "That will give us our ranking in the U.S. for 2007 - it's the one that counts," Farrah said.
In October, there are regattas in Long Beach, Calif., to determine who will go to the Olympics in 2008.
Looking ahead, she's already thinking about another campaign for the 2012 Olympics. Or, she may head to grad school. Her long-term game plan is to earn a Ph.D. and teach college level ecology.
Right now, though, she's reaching for the elusive brass ring - make that the five gold rings that represent the Olympics. "She's sacrificed a lot. She has her heart set on this," said her mom. "She's really driven."
The Rolex Miami OCR