Class: Yngling
Position: Skipper
US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics: 2003-2008
Member of: Pine Lake YC
Education: University Lake School, Old Dominion University (graduated 2002)
Birthdate: July 10, 1980
Birthplace: Waukesha, Wis.
Hometown: Nashotah, Wis.
Occupation: Full-time sailor

Significant sailing achievements: Two-time US SAILNG Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year (2005, 2007), Three-time winning skipper/US SAILING's Rolex International Women's Keelboat Championships (2003, 2005, 2007), Intercollegiate Sailing Association All-American (2001, 2002)

Biography: When Yngling skipper Sally Barkow won the 2007 US SAILING Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year award—the second time she has won this prestigious MVP award for sailors—she was quick to credit her team. "I have not sailed a singlehanded boat since 2002," she said. "I believe that teamwork is our biggest asset on the water."

When Barkow and her Team 7 crew—Debbie Capozzi and Carrie Howe—joined together after their intercollegiate racing days to campaign for the Olympics in the women's keelboat class, their learning curve rose rapidly. They got into the Yngling in 2003; 2004 was a building year; but by the close of 2005, these three sailors were a global force. In that year, they won the Yngling Worlds, the ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championships, and US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR. As Barkow says: "Experience goes a long way in sailing ... In 2005, things seemed to click."

A native of Wisconsin, Barkow started sailing prams at 5 years old. At age 10, she started steering an X-boat, a popular youth training boat in the Midwest. There has not been one single mentor in her sailing career—but many.

"When I was growing up, I looked to my brothers as mentors when it came to winning and understanding the commitment it takes to win in sailing," she says. "Now, I try to take a little piece of what I admire about everyone I meet or read about and incorporate that into my drive for the future."

Recent results:
2008 4th Yngling Women's World Championship/Miami, 6th US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR/Miami
2007 1st HRH Princess Sofia Trophy/Palma de Mallorca, Spain, 1st US SAILING's Rolex Miami OCR, 1st US SAILING's Rolex Int'l Women's Keelboat Championships/Houston, Texas (J/22s), 4th The Good Luck Beijing - 2007 Qingdao International Regatta/Qingdao, China