Severn Alum Joe Morris Qualifies for Olympics!

In late 2012 Thomas Barrows and Joe teamed up to train in the 49er class with their sights set on qualifying as the United States representative at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Though they raced against each other a few times in junior sailing, the pairing met in 2008 when Joe started his freshmen year at Yale. During the two years they were on the team together, Thomas and Joe sailed as the starting A and B helms. From the start, their complimentary sailing and communication styles were a great match, and in 2009 helped the team to win the Fowle Trophy, awarded annually to the best overall collegiate sailing team.

Team dynamic is a huge asset in the 49er, the class Thomas and Joe hope to one day win Olympic Gold in. Classified as the “Men’s Two Person High Performance Class” at the Olympics, the 49er first debuted at the 2000 Games in Sydney, and is one of the fastest and most physically demanding skiffs in the world. Communication and teamwork are vital, as even the smallest mistake can result in high speed capsizes ad crashes.