Annapolis J/22 sailor- Sue Mikulski Women's Worlds interview

* J/22 sailor from Annapolis, Sue Mikulski,
a long time veteran competitor and key contributor to the Rolex Women's
reflects on how this special event has impacted her life. Over the
years, she has made it a personal goal of hers to grow competitive
women’s sailing and the Championship has played a major role in
achieving this.



Sue was the Outreach Coordinator for the Road to Rolex Clinics and Next
Step to Rolex from 2000 to 2005. Road to Rolex clinics are designed to
prepare competitors for the Rolex IWKC. Junior women sailors interested
in gaining international sailing experience participate in the Next Step
to Rolex Program.



“I spent many hours and many evenings contacting women sailors from
around the world explaining theses Rolex programs, how it draws women
into racing at all levels and that it is the opportunity of a lifetime,”
said Sue. “The Road to Rolex clinics helped promote women's sailing,
and especially those getting ready to do their first international
event.” 



Sue is ecstatic about the progress these programs have made on the
evolution of the Rolex IWKC and maintaining it as a first class event
with talent and diversity.



“It is extremely rewarding to see names of juniors from the Next Step
Program now competing in the upcoming RIWKC. I smile when I see those
names,” she said.



Sue trained for two years leading up to her first Rolex IWKC in 1995.
She joined the Liberty Sailing Club in Philadelphia, Pa. and the
Philadelphia Laser Fleet in the early 1990s and sailed close to 200
races a year from 1993 to 1995.



“I felt it important to give back to the sport of sailing, after so many
helped me get involved, and that US SAILING helped me get my start in
conjunction with Rolex. I had a great team who helped me pull it
together,” she said. Sue went on to skipper at the Rolex IWKC at
Annapolis in 2001, 2003 and 2005.



She is excited to return to competition this year after missing the 2009
and 2007 events. For the past five years Sue has battling the effects
of Chondromalacia. She has no cartilage behind her knee caps and two
torn meniscus in each knee. During this time she became very involved
with Race Committee at Annapolis Yacht Club, which she loves to be part
of. After hours of therapy, she is ready to make a return.



The Rolex IWKC is a unique event with a camaraderie unlike any event
I've ever done. Sailing with your girlfriends is fun, intense and such a
learning experience about yourself.  Racing, owning and skippering my
boat helped my confidence, helped my leadership ability and ability to
be a team player.”



US SAILING’s 2011 Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship
(Rolex IWKC), hosted by the Rochester Yacht Club (N.Y.), takes place on
August 29 - September 1. For team rosters, results, video, photos,
Facebook/Twitter updates and daily racing reports, please visit the
event website at http://riwkc.ussailing.org.

  

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