Norwegian Olympian now freshman sailor at RWU

Posted 9/17/16

The Roger Williams University sailing team has welcomed an Olympian to its fall roster.

Joining the Hawks is freshman Maia Agerup from Oslo, Norway, who arrives in Bristol having just competed in …

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Norwegian Olympian now freshman sailor at RWU

Posted

The Roger Williams University sailing team has welcomed an Olympian to its fall roster.

Joining the Hawks is freshman Maia Agerup from Oslo, Norway, who arrives in Bristol having just competed in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

Agerup, along with her sister Ragna, represented Norway and competed in the Women’s 49er FX (skiff), sailing to 14th place overall. She became the second sailor from the RWU sailing program to compete in the Olympic Games, joining alum Cy Thompson ’11, who participated in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.

Agerup earned her way onto the Olympic roster with her work in international competition earlier in the year. This past winter, she placed fourth at the Sailing World Cup in Miami and fifth at the Sailing World Cup in Great Britain. Then in June, Agerup took 22nd at the 49er & 49erFX World Championship in Clearwater, Florida.

Though Agerup is used to international competition, she said the Olympics is something special,

“Being an athlete at the Olympics was a fantastic experience. Everything is so well prepared so that you can focus on your performance," Agerup said. “Just being around other athletes and getting to know them was very inspiring and rewarding.”

Coach Amanda Callahan recognizes that there will be a learning curve but is excited for the prospect of having Agerup on the team for the upcoming season.

“Maia has been sailing at a high level internationally for years — and that experience will definitely add to our team," Callahan said. "The 49er FX skiff is a lot different than the boats we race in college sailing (mostly Flying Juniors aka FJs and 420s), so the transition will be really interesting.”

“I think to develop as a sailor, one needs to try out different forms of sailing and be challenged in different ways on the water," Agerup said. "Intercollegiate sailing provides an opportunity to sail competitively in fleet racing, match racing, team racing, and in different types of boats. We compete against boys and girls for the spots on the teams and against each other in the regatta. So far I have had really fun during practice and I look forward to be racing on the water.  Competing internationally in an Olympic boat class is about competing against the same 30-40 teams in the same boat year after year, working on small details of improvement and being 100% focused as an athlete.  It is very tiring and over time it is easy to lose track of other things in life beside sailing, including taking an education.

“I guess the biggest transition will be to be a part of a team and to contribute the best I can where the team and the coach wants me to contribute," she added. "Being a full-time athlete is a very self-oriented activity; sailing on a College Sailing team is the opposite.”

The season began over the weekend with the Hawks hosting the Mount Hope Bay Invitational on Saturday and Sunday.

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