Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Windsurfing will return as an Olympic sport in 2016, and in 2020, kiteboarding will be added alongside it.
Farrah Hall, an Olympic windsurfer from Cape St. Claire, has written a blog on a recent revival in her sport, which was on the cusp of being removed from the Olympics. "I feel we are entering a better and exciting time for the sport of Olympic sailing," Hall said in a recent posting on her blog. When Patch last spoke with Hall, windsurfing as a sport in the Olympics was set to be replaced by kiteboarding. It seemed like a done deal at the end of the 2012 summer games in London. Hall said she would be training for both windsurfing and kiteboarding. But a recent vote by the International Sailing Federation secured windsurfing for the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro. Kiteboarding will become an official Olympic sport in the 2020 games. Hall said…
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Local Olympian Farrah Hall was invited to the White House to hear the president speak.
Cape St. Claire's own Olympian Farrah Hall took a trip to the White House this week to hear President Barack Obama speak with Team USA's Olympic and Paralympic teams. Hall posted a photo gallery of pictures she took of the event on her Facebook page, where she was mere feet from Obama. She also scored a hilariously up-close shot of Vice President Joe Biden. Team USA's athletes were honored for their participation and success in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Obama told the athletes they were the country's ideal representatives, according to a release from The White House. "One of the great things about watching our Olympics is we are a portrait of what this country is all about—people from every walk of life, every background, every …
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Farrah Hall and other Maryland Olympians stood on the field at the Baltimore Ravens' first game of the season.
Local Olympian Farrah Hall of Cape St. Claire stood side-by-side with other Maryland Olympians at the Baltimore Ravens' first game of the season on Monday. The athletes received the VIP treatment and field access as they posed for photographs and video of them shown on the massive stadium screens. Hall, an Olympic windsurfer and graduate of Broadneck High School, posted about 50 photos of the evening's big event on her Facebook page. Another Broadneck Olympian, Matthew Centrowitz, wasn't at Monday's game. He's been traveling around Europe competing in various running events. But he is expected to arrive back in town this week. See also:
Friday, September 7, 2012
Windsurfing is out and kiteboarding is in, according to a decision by the group that oversees international sailing competitions.
Local Olympian Farrah Hall is back in town after sailing among the best in the world in the London 2012 Olympic Games, but a big change could be in store for her career. By the time the summer games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil kick off in 2016, windsurfing may no longer be in the lineup. In its stead, kiteboarding has been given the green light by the International Sailing Federation. Hall said it will be an awkward transition for those heavily invested in windsurfing, and she felt the decision was premature. "I think everyone wants to see kiteboarding come to the Olympics, but maybe it'd be better in 2020," she said. At the end of the games in London—her first Olympic experience—Hall had assembled a program and routine she said she felt …
Saturday, September 1, 2012
County Councilman Chris Trumbauer presented Farrah Hall with an official council citation for representing our country in the Olympics.
A hometown Olympian, Farrah Hall of Cape St. Claire, returned home Wednesday after competing in London. Hall was honored by a welcome home celebration at the East of Maui Surf Shop in Annapolis on Wednesday evening. In attendance were dozens of friend and family, and members of area surf and sailing clubs. Hall placed 20th overall in women's windsurfing in the 2012 Summer Olympics, and said the experience was challenging and enlightening. Anne Arundel County Councilman Chris Trumbauer (D-6th District), of Annapolis, awarded Hall with an official council citation. The full citation reads: The County Council Citation is presented to Farrah Hall in recognition of your participation in the Games of the XXX Olympiad held in London, England, …
Monday, August 27, 2012
A welcome back celebration for Cape St. Claire's Olympic windsurfer will be held in Annapolis on Wednesday.
Cape St. Claire's Olympic windsufer Farrah Hall will be welcomed back from competing in London this week outside of East of Maui Surf Shop in Annapolis. Hall placed 20th overall in women's windsurfing in the 2012 Summer Olympics, and said the experience was challenging and enlightening. She plans to start training for the next summer games soon. But for now, it's time to kick back and celebrate her international performance. Hall's welcome home celebration is being hosted by the Baltimore Area Boardsaling Association, the local windsurfing club, and will be held Wednesday from 6-8 p.m. There may even be a chance to view her Olympic competition sail at the event, and footage of her at the races in London. "Most of you know that Farrah …
Monday, August 20, 2012
Annapolis' Farrah Hall took her windsurfing skills to the Olympics.
After all the talk of Farrah Hall of Cape St. Claire windsurfing in the London 2012 Olympic Games, there wasn't much footage floating around online of her performances. But a few weeks after the games, her coach Max Wojcik created this video montage of Hall training and competing in London and uploaded it to YouTube. Hall placed 20th overall in women's windsurfing, and said on her blog the games were an enlightening learning experience for her. She said she has plans to get back on the path to the next summer games. For more news like this, check Broadneck Patch's guide to local Olympians, which keeps track of all stories written about Broadneck's international athletes, Hall and Matt Centrowitz.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Hall said she's learned from her mistakes in the games, and hopes to prepare for the next summer games in 2016.
Cape St. Claire windsurfer Farrah Hall said competing in the Olympics this year made her realize the uphill path ahead of her. Hall placed 20th overall after 10 rounds of sailing in women's windsurfing in her first Olympic games. Hall shared her impressions on the games in her latest blog. Here are some excerpts from it: "I now understand the meaning of the dedicated years of my life I spent achieving this goal. As an athlete, I've also begun to comprehend the level of experience and focus needed to really succeed in this event." "Although I put together a really good program this past year, it's just the baseline for a truly excellent one." "What I needed was a plan to regain 'attack mode' - this was something I hadn't considered in my …
Monday, August 6, 2012
"I’m really proud to represent our country," Hall said.
Farrah Hall of Cape St. Claire improved her overall standings in her final two races of the Olympic games, ending in 20th place. The ninth and 10th races for women's windsurfing were sailed on Sunday morning in London. Hall placed 16th in both races, which increased her rank among the 26 windsurfers from 22nd to 20th. It was her first time at the Olympics. In an interview with the U.S. Sailing Team after the races on Sunday, Hall said it has been an exciting trip. “The light wind conditions we had today was better,” she said. “I could put together races a bit better. In my development I am a better light-wind sailor. I’m going to keep working on that. It’s really exciting to be part of the U.S. Olympic Team. I’m really proud to represent …
Saturday, August 4, 2012
The Cape St. Claire windsurfer said it's not a disaster, but disappointing.
Annapolis windsurfer Farrah Hall suffered a penalty after starting too early in a race on Saturday, but smiled through it, saying she's still having fun on the waves. In the eighth race for women's windsurfing on Saturday morning, Hall was penalized for an OCS (on-course side, or starting the race early). She was docked on points equal to the number of competitors, which in this race was 26. Hall is now in 22nd place overall after the eighth race of 10 scheduled. Hall said in an interview with the U.S. Sailing Team's website on Saturday that she has struggled with strong breezes since the games began. "This isn't my strong condition," Hall told US Sailing. "We had windy conditions every day. It is the most fun conditions, and I 'm having …
Jack
10:52 am on Saturday, September 8, 2012
@ Chad Lyons, You appear to be adding this comment to many windsurf/kiteboard/olympic articles, and while I don't disagree with you on the flaws in the ISAF vote I do not see the necessity of the anti kiteboard rubbishing your comments end with. As a kiteboarder I was shocked and disappointed to see windsurfing taking the axe and would gladly aid in its reinstatement. Even at the expense of my … more ›