‘Sailing with your brother, especially your twin brother, is one of the most special things you can do. We haven’t sailed together since 2020, so it’s cool to come back four years later and jump right back into it’ – Justin and Mitchell Callahan win this year’s Snipe Junior World title. A few months later Justin went on to win the Snipe US Nationals sailing with Trevor Davis. And before you raise that eyebrow, a full nine points back in 2nd was multiple Snipe and also 2016 Star World Champion Augie Diaz, racing with Christine De Silva
the personal feel. The formula works very well, and we’re happy in our niche.’ When the Newport season ends they
College counts Collegiate sailing is often criticised as a dis- traction from the Olympics, but Paul con- siders higher education a requirement for success in the US – and a huge positive. At a recent collegiate regatta he got to the venue early to secure a parking place with a view of the course. When the kids arrived there were many familiar faces from Opti and 420 regattas. ‘They’re about to compete… but they’re all on the beach together having so much fun being with each other again.’ In Miami, ‘I wake up, and I’m not even
sure if my own kids are there – but there’s probably 10 college sailors. That’s great fun, because they’ll have these friendships for ever. It still amazes me, watching these kids compete hard against each other then get off the water and be best buddies. It’s a unique dynamic; a gift from the sport.’ So when the pro sailing tour comes
calling Paul tells his twins they have to fin- ish college first. That way ‘they always have something to fall back on. If they wanted to take a year off I wouldn’t have the biggest problem… but I did have a very big prob- lem when they were being asked to join professional teams right out of high school. ‘I had to, you know, play Dad. It seems
enticing, it seems fun, but… not until sail- ing becomes a career with some certainty in it. The Europeans, I think they’re closer to having some security in sailing, and hats off to them for being able to do it, but you’ve got to succeed in your own playground and our culture doesn’t allow for that.’ Until sailing offers a full professional
pathway, ‘college sailing is going to remain the winner. Because the institution is so strong and so embedded.’ After college, Paul says, his boys ‘can
sail to their heart’s content as far as I’m concerned. They can always jump back into the workforce and they’ll be fine. There are a lot of companies that would hire an accomplished athlete before they would hire someone out of school who has knowledge but little real life experience.’
Medals vs fun When I pass along the editor’s request for comment on the delicate balance between winning medals and having fun, Paul sits
54 SEAHORSE
back in his chair to ponder. ‘It doesn’t have to be an either-or situation,’ he says finally. ‘First you have to determine what fun is
and who’s making that judgment; there are a lot of different opinions. In any sport in any country with adequate resources you can have different attitudes towards fun, but with proper management there’s cer- tainly enough to go around.’ Paul was on the US Sailing board in the
early noughties, and at that point ‘I thought that we had figured out the organ- isational chart’ to best balance Olympic preparation with the many other missions. ‘But then it deteriorated again. Which is unfortunate, because the ultimate output into the Olympics or professional sailing then stalls – just at the time you have an unbelievable opportunity with LA 2028. ‘It is going to be an extraordinary chal-
lenge to get up to speed and maximise what the next Games could deliver for sailing in this country.’ For any system to succeed, he adds, ‘you need a very solid team of very good thinkers with resources and leverage. Until you assemble that…’ he cocks his head, and just for a moment that smile fades. ‘There’s nothing that can’t be done, but we’re certainly not ahead of the game.’
Sail to Prevail Long before sailing was dropped from the Paralympics, Sail to Prevail had already widened its mission beyond racing: the goal now is to provide sailing opportunities to those who would not otherwise have them. That of course is well aligned with Paul’s philosophy, that helping others makes the world a better place. ‘Also, it’s more fungible; you can produce outcomes other than just being defined by where you finish.’ The summer-only programme sells out in a few days and serves over 1,000 people each year from its Newport docks. When pandemic demand swelled the
ranks to 1,500 Paul says he could ‘feel the wings vibrating on the plane. It becomes unsafe… too many people on the dock, too many wheelchairs, and too many intellec- tually challenged kids who may need more attention for safety purposes. A thousand seems to be the maximum we can handle without either having an accident or losing
move a few boats and instructors up to the Harvard University Sailing Center. ‘There we do a programme for Boston children with disabilities,’ Paul explains. ‘Take a six to 12-year old child from the inner city, who has two strikes against them already, and put them on a boat’ with both a Sail to Prevail instructor and a Harvard student. ‘You want it to be in the formative years for both the participant and student-athlete. ‘College kids have so many demands on
their time; I wanted to create a way where they could pass along what they know to a child without making it onerous.’ The result is both fun and confidence-building; what Paul calls a win-win-win. Combining three such different life
experiences into one cockpit also benefits Sail to Prevail… ‘It teaches our instructors how to manage a complex process. It’s always an ongoing experiment,’ he admits, ‘but so far it seems to be working.’
Still racing Paul retired from Sonar sailing after the 2012 Paralympics – until quite recently at least. ‘After literally not getting into any sailboat to compete since London 2012,’ he tells me proudly, ‘without any practice at all I won the 2024 USA Disabled Cham- pionship.’ He sailed with 2000 teammate Keith Burhans and Jen Edney. ‘It was so much fun!’ he adds, before admitting that it also helped him keep up his credibility with Justin and Mitchell. I wouldn’t wish the loss of working hands
and legs on anyone, but Paul Callahan certainly has made the most of his many life challenges – and, regardless of where he acquired such a sunny attitude, it carries right through to the close of our conversa- tion: a big-picture rumination on sailing’s benefits. ‘Is it ever going to be the biggest sport in the United States or the biggest sport in the world?’ Paul shakes his head… ‘I don’t think so. But it just might end
up being the best in terms of both competi- tion and humanity.’ Son Justin will probably carry that perspective to his next inter - national regatta, the World Match Racing Youth Championship in Jeddah. ‘He (and I) are very excited about this one,’ Paul adds, before repeating his life philosophy: ‘I’m really extremely fortunate because I know that I’m utilising whatever I have. And the more you utilise [your own skills] for other people the better life becomes.’ q
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