Zach Railey & Paige take family sailing act to London Olympics

CLEARWATER, Fla. - When Zach Railey won a silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in China, his elation was tempered because his sister Paige, also a world-class sailor, had narrowly missed making the U.S. team.

But this time around, the seafaring siblings from Clearwater, Fla., have both scored a berth at the 2012 Olympic Games in England. They qualified in December during the International Sailing Federation's Sailing World Championships in Perth, Australia.

"We both understand how fortunate we are to have this opportunity -- and this responsibility," said Zach, 27.

He'll be sailing a Finn, a men's single-handed heavyweight dinghy, and she'll be competing in the lighter-weight Laser Radial class during the games, which will run from July 27 to Aug. 12. The 10 Olympic sailing events -- six for men, four for women -- feature a variety of craft from windsurfing boards to keelboats.

Although the event is billed as the London Olympics, the sailing races will take place in Weymouth and Portland, where the conditions could be blustery, rainy and cold.

"There are huge weather systems that come through there," Zach said.

Whatever challenges come, the pair say they're prepared, mentally and physically.

A typical day may include morning and afternoon workouts in a gym, several more hours of training on the water, sponsor obligations, interviews, fundraising activities and, often, travel.

It will cost Zach about $170,000 to get to the Olympics. Paige will require just more than $100,000 -- less because her boat and equipment aren't as expensive. The U.S. Sailing Team AlphaGraphics contributes about a third of their costs, and the sailors have to raise the balance on their own.
It's all not quite as glamorous as some might imagine, they say.

"This is a job with little time for anything else," said Paige, 24. "It consumes your entire life. People think we travel all over, but in reality, no matter what country you're in, you see the same scenery all the time: the gym and the yacht club."

"I've been to France 15 times, but I've never toured the Eiffel Tower," Zach said. "Wherever we go, we're there to race and compete."

At age 8, Zach learned to sail on tiny Optimist Prams at the Clearwater Yacht Club and the Clearwater Community Sailing Center. He loved horsing around out there, picking up crab pots and feeling free out on the sparkling Florida waters.

Paige and her twin sister, Brooke, soon followed suit.

By age 10, Zach had qualified for the Optimist World Championships in Finland. At 16, he made the U.S. Sailing Team.

Brooke opted for other sports, but Paige experienced a meteoric rise to the top and joined the U.S. team at 17. She's been a formidable competitor in the ISAF Sailing World Cup Series and was ranked No. 1 when she graduated from high school in 2005.

One might assume the duo grew up in a family of salts. But parents Ann and Dan Railey never learned how to sail.

During Zach's and Paige's years at Clearwater High School, there was no time for proms and parties. Competitive schedules meant hitting the gym before the crack of dawn, sailing in the afternoon, and doing homework late at night.

Then there were choices about which college trajectory to take.

"There comes a time when every serious sailor has to decide whether they want to take the collegiate track or the Olympic track," Paige said, "and we chose the Olympics, which meant lots and lots of training and picking a college that will work with you."

Paige selected the University of South Florida and Zach went to the University of Miami, where the U.S. Sailing Center Miami has an official Olympic training center.

Paige lost her Olympic bid in 2007 when her life jacket caught the boom, capsizing her boat during the qualifying medal race. Now Paige says she's older, wiser, more experienced and up for the challenge.

"When I was younger, I couldn't handle the pressure. Now I really enjoy it," she said.

And should they win the gold and be invited to appear on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars," as some previous Olympians have, they're always up for new challenges.

"It would be awesome," said Zach.


(shns.com)