Sally Barkow
Sally Barkow
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
