2023 Saplings
Siri’s greatest passion is sailing. She grew up in Columbus, Ohio where she raced lasers and other dinghies and helped develop the Junior Racing program at Leatherlips Yacht Club from the ground up. She enjoys computer-aided design and studied Interior Architecture at Ohio University where she was the Sailing Club Commodore. Siri came to Oakcliff as a Sapling to pursue offshore racing and is excited to learn about more technical boats and associated shore skills.
Siri Schantz
Summer Sapling
Owen grew up in Patchogue, New York and started sailing when he was 6. He followed the traditional progression of dingy sailing. Owen took a love for the laser and began sailing year-round with a particular fondness for frostbiting in Oyster Bay. Owen learnt about The Ocean Race from his High School coach, which quickly became his career goal. He now sails out of Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club and came to Oakcliff to further his knowledge and pursure his goal in Offshore and Ocean racing
Owen Himsworth
Summer Sapling
Growing up in Connecticut, she sailed a T42 around her hometown of Stony Creek, and raced 420’s in high school. She got a degree in Psychology, and started racing on keel boats after college. She is a sailmaker at North Sails, and started offshore racing on a J125. She did her first Newport-Bermuda race in 2022, and fell in love with blue water. She came to Oakcliff to become a more well-rounded sailor, do as much offshore sailing as possible. She hopes to be a captain and do many ocean crossings in the future.
Gretchen Gara
Summer Sapling
Ian from Davis Islands, Florida sails out of St Petersburg Yacht Club. He has been sailing for 7 years mostly in Lasers, Finns, and J70s. He came to Oakcliff to learn about offshore sailing and all the aspects that go along with it. His goal after Oakcliff is to be able to have the skills to be able to grind/trim on offshore racing yachts and he hopes to race Newport to Bermuda Race and later the America’s Cup.