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The San Francisco based American Youth Sailing Force are one of two teams selected to represent America’s Cup holders Oracle Team USA in the inaugural Red Bull Youth America’s Cup this summer.
Very much the local team in the event, the core AYSF squad is comprised of sailors from the San Francisco Bay Area, nearby Santa Cruz and Seattle.
Their helmsman Michael Menninger, however, is a newcomer to the crew and we tracked him down in San Francisco to find out more about the team and their preparation for the big event this July.
Menninger is facing the double challenge of joining an already established crew as well as getting his head around sailing on two hulls instead of one.
“Most of the guys on American Youth Sailing Force have been good friends for a long time and have sailed in the Bay area growing up,” he said. “They have had a good camaraderie going for quite a long time. I’m kind of new to the team so I’m working on getting integrated into the group.
“It’s a great group of guys and a very tight knit group. We are also a confident group and we are looking forward to improving our skills together.”
“Sailing the AC45 for the first time was a lot of fun,” Menninger continues with a smile. “I didn’t have a lot of catamaran experience before this and they are a little intimidating when the breeze picks up.”
However, the AYSF crew seem to have quickly got to grips with the AC45 and have already hit some impressive speeds out on San Francisco Bay.
“Once they are going they are pretty quiet, but they hum a lot when you’re up to full speed,” Menninger explained. “Our top speed was 29.9 knots broad reaching in from Berkley Circle in the South Bay.
“They are just great boats to sail. I’m going to be spoiled the rest of my life after getting a taste for the 45s.”
Menninger is from Newport Beach in California and grew up sailing Sabots before moving into CFJ’s, 420′s and Lasers. He made a name for himself in college sailing, winning two national titles while at St Mary’s in Maryland, before moving on to 49er sailing after graduating in 2011.
Having initially put his sailing plans on hold in order to concentrate on his fledgling business career, the chance to get involved in AC45 sailing ultimately proved too much to resist.
“I went down the corporate route and had a full time job,” he explained. “But when I got this opportunity I realised it’s more important to me right now. So I quit my job and am doing this full time. Now I’m right back in the mix.
“I feel very blessed to be part of it and to have found my way into the program,” he confessed. “Sailing the America’s Cup has always been a dream of mine and to be involved at this level and representing the United States is a great honour.”
As well as training for their own campaign, Menninger and his team mates have also been put in charge of maintaining Oracle’s fleet of AC45s. Far from viewing this a chore, Menninger said the responsibility was a unique opportunity for the squad to get more integrated into the Oracle Team USA programme.
“Most of us are down at Pier 80 [Oracle Team USA base] every single day, either working out, doing maintenance on the boats, or just talking to some of the guys to see how we can help,” he explained. “We feel being integrated into their program as much as we can is going to accelerate our team.”
“They are so busy with their main focus – to win the America’s Cup – so we are very lucky to have got the level of support we have from the guys.
“We are definitely not taking it for granted. Every day we go down there we are trying to demonstrate a good attitude and be willing to learn from anyone.”
Menninger told us that they had been impressed with the fitness levels of the Oracle squad and in particular the way skipper James Spithill was leading that element of their preparation from the front.
“Sailing the 45s and the 72’s is extremely physical and all those guys are so strong. You can see on the board that Jimmy leads most of the cross fit workouts; he’s not taking exercise lightly at all.
“We go down there every day working our hardest and trying to hit the numbers that some of the pro’s are hitting. It’s fun getting stronger and working together as a team.”
You will be able to read our full interview with Michael Menninger in the May issue of Sail Racing Magazine – out around April 22.
Sailing images credit: American Youth Sailing Force.
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