LETTERS

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July 17-24, July 24-28 well respected and admired. And I also know it's been years since the US team has medaled. (Emphasis on team).

Applications will open in April, and selections will be made by late June.

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Perhaps it's best to keep opinions to ourselves while continuing to respect all involved, and trust and support those that have the most to lose or gain as our US Olympic team works to get back on the podium.

Ed Huntsman

⇑⇓ MY EXPERIENCE WITH US SAILING AND THE US OLYMPIC COMMITTEE

I probably should not say this, but long ago, I worked for the US Olympic Committee's nascent (at the time) website called Team USA. I was tasked with covering three sports during the 2008 Summer Olympics on a stringer basis, and from the comfort of my couch, I reported on sailing, badminton and the US women's softball team. I also once wrote for [the] US Sailing newsletter for a short time.

I was so shaken by the treatment I received from the governing board, or whoever manages the PR for, say, badminton, softball and even sailing. I concluded long ago that something was rotten with the USOC in general, and it trickles down to all of our sports. I definitely felt that the badminton Olympians were prevented from talking to the press. At that time, they got rid of women's softball, which was an amazing opportunity for women.

As this thread gets political and explores the dark underbelly of politics in sports, let us take a moment to appreciate the accomplishments of Anna Tunnicliffe, who won a gold medal in Laser Radials at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Tunnicliffe has gone on to be a CrossFit competitor.

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That year, Anna Tunnicliffe won gold in Lasers, and Zach Railey won silver in the Finn class!

What I felt then (as I do now) about what may be wrong with US Sailing may also be wrong with the USOC, the governing body of our sport. I think it needs a drastic revamping. I don't know where to begin, but it is actually a rather vile place based on my brief time working for them.

Laurie

Laurie — Sadly, male-dominated organizations, especially in sports, tend to be sexist and misogynist! It's long overdue for a cleaning of their house! Thanks for your input.

Ken Brinkley

⇑⇓ WHAT HAPPENED, BETWEEN THE SHEETS?

I was pleased to read the letter by my friend and crewmate Jeffery Matzdorff in [the February issue of] Latitude 38, where he referenced the sailboat Between the Sheets — a Jeanneau 50 — and the spinnakers we used racing her. I have great and important memories of that vessel and of working with Ross Perlman, her proud owner at the time, to make his beautiful all-out cruising boat into a competitive ocean racer.

Since about 1957 — until I retired about 13 years ago — I was rigging sailboats of all types and sizes for cruising and racing, mostly in Marina del Rey. I had done rigging