STANFORD, Calif. – Three Stanford sailors have been selected to participate in first United States qualifier for the Red Bull Foiling Generation sailing competition.
Junior Luke Muller, sophomore MiMi El-Khazindar and freshman Jacob Rosenberg were chosen to sail in the U.S. qualifier, which will be held October 15-16 at the Sail Newport Sailing Center in Newport, Rhode Island. Muller will compete with his younger brother, Nicolas, a freshman on the sailing team at College of Charleston, while El-Khazindar and Rosenberg will team up.
Muller, a native of Fort Pierce, Florida, established himself as one of the top singlehanded sailors in the nation over his first two seasons on The Farm. A two-time PCCSC Men's Singlehanded Champion, Muller owns a runner-up and a sixth-place finish at singlehanded nationals.
Last season as a freshman, El-Khazindar played a big role in Stanford's Fall Women's PCCSC Championship and Women's PCCSC Championship in the spring. A member of the Great Britain national team since 2009, El-Khazindar also represented Stanford in the Sperry College Sailing Women's National Championship last season.
Hailing from Huntington Beach, California, Rosenberg joins the Cardinal with formidable international experience. He represented the United States at the 29er World Championship from 2014-16, also finishing second at 29er Nationals in 2014 and third in 2015.
Luke Muller '18, Mimi El- Khzandar '19, and Jacob Rosenberg '20 were all selected for the Red Bull youth foiling... https://t.co/yMI4B92PC7
— Stanford Sailing (@StanfordSailing) September 14, 2016
Red Bull Foiling Generation U.S. Qualifier competitors, aged 16-20, were chosen through application process that was launched earlier this year. Industry experts in partnership with U.S. Sailing were recruited to evaluate possible competitors based on their sharp sailing skills, athleticism and smart decision-making.
These skills are needed to handle the 18-foot Flying Phantom catamarans designed with hydro foil technology, a smaller but similar version to what is used in the world's most famous sailing competition, the America's Cup.
The winning team will stay in Newport to race in the Red Bull Foiling Generation World Final on October 22 and 23, joining top youth competitors from 14 countries – Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Russia, Sweden, Italy, Turkey, France, Denmark, Netherlands, Great Britain, New Zealand, Japan and Belgium – that have qualified for this first world-wide competition.