Mollerus Brothers Selected to US Sailing Development Team in 29ers
November 12, 2010
Portsmouth, RI
Brothers Andrew and Matthew Mollerus were selected to the US
Sailing Development Team in the 29er class.
LYC juniors Andrew and Matthew Mollerus were one of three teams named to the prestigious United States Sailing Development Team (USSDT) in the 29er class for 2011. The USSDT is the youth pipeline team supported by US SAILING’s Olympic Sailing Committee and was created in 2009 to help young athletes, who have been identified as future Olympic prospects, acquire the skills necessary to launch successful campaigns and compete at the Olympic level.
In addition to receiving elite-level coaching, guidance and mentoring, USSDT members benefit from joint training with US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics members and other top young sailors from across the United States. US Sailing supports USSDT members with shipping and logistical assistance and advice, as well as access to physical therapists, trainers and nutritionists.
The Mollerus brothers were selected to the team on the basis of their strong sailing resumes. Both were top Opti sailors who competed at an international level before moving to bigger boats. Matthew is one of the top youth Laser Radial sailors in the country and finished in the top quarter of the fleet at Laser Radial Youth Worlds in 2010. Andrew has been a fixture at the top of the Club and International 420 fleets since making the jump to double-handed sailing in 2008.
To qualify for the US Sailing Development Team, the Mollerus
brothers have been training after school in whatever daylight
is available.
The 29er is a high performance double-handed skiff that is sailed internationally and is considered a stepping stone to the Olympic skiff, the 49er. Apart from the various USSDT training clinics and national regattas, the brothers plan to compete at the 29er World Championship in January 2011 in Mar del Plata, Argentina. For more information about the USSDT and a list of other sailors selected to the team, please visit the USSDT page on the US Sailing website.
