Ogletree368
Class: Tornado
Position: Crew
US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics: 1994-2008
Member of: Newport Harbor YC/Houston YC
Education: Tabor Academy, Old Dominion University (graduated 1989)
Birthdate: Oct. 11, 1967
Birthplace: Greenville, N.C.
Hometown: Kemah, Texas
Occupation: Sailmaker
Significant sailing achievements: InterCollegiate Sailing Association All-American (1989), 2004 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team Captain, Silver Medal, 2004 Olympic Games (Tornado)
Biography: Ogletree and skipper John Lovell are the only sailors on the 2008 U.S. team competing in their fourth consecutive Olympic Regatta. But for Ogletree, his longstanding career in the Olympic arena was-at one time in his life-not part of his gameplan.
After a sixth-place finish at the U.S. Trials in the 470 class for the ’92 Games, Ogletree moved on-to focus on his career as a sailmaker and racing keelboats. But Lovell repeatedly asked Ogletree to crew onboard his Tornado.
“I was hesitant at first,” said Ogletree. “I was successful at what I was doing and not ready to make a change.”
Lovell’s persistence prevailed, and Ogletree headed south for the 1993 US SAILING Rolex Miami OCR, which they won. A few months later, the duo faced stiff competition at the Tornado Nationals, which they again won by a mere quarter point. Ogletree’s view of another Olympic campaign began to shift. “Maybe,” he remembered thinking after those two events, “we are a pretty good team.”
Ogletree now has three Olympic regattas to his credit, a silver medal won with Lovell at the 2004 Games, and a thirst for more Olympic hardware. “Now that I have won one,” he said, “more than anything, I want to win another.”
Recent results:
2007 10th US SAILING’s Miami Rolex OCR/Miami, 10th ISAF Sailing World Championships/Cascais, Portugal
