Hooray for Marseille! Olympic Send-Off Soiree a Huge Success for the Competition Fund
June 25, 2024
by Diane Foote
Earlier this month, the Chicago Yacht Club and the CYC Foundation collaborated to host "Hooray for Marseille! An Olympic Send-Off Soiree" to celebrate CYC members Steph Roble and Maggie Shea's Olympic campaign. Roble/Shea Sailing qualified to represent the United States in the 49er FX skiff sailing event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, with the sailing events taking place in Marseille. While we were celebrating this enormous achievement, we also raised funds for the CYC Foundation Competition Fund, which is a major sponsor of Roble/Shea Sailing.
CYC Foundation President Greg Miarecki served as auctioneer with assists from Steph and Maggie, putting up for bid items such as autographed team jackets, swag from the Tokyo Olympics, Olympic logo apparel, and more.
CYC Vice Commodore Laura Sigmond interviewed the Olympians about their sailing development to date, much of it at CYC, while a slide show of images from the duo's sailing history played in the background. “CYC is fortunate to have witnessed our homegrown Olympic team’s journey from young sailors through both the Tokyo 2021 and now to 2024 Paris Olympics," says Sigmond. "We could not be more proud of them and thankful that we were able to support them.”
The evening's goal for the Competition Fund was to raise sufficient funds to support Steph and Maggie's sailing through the Olympics; thanks to the extraordinary generosity of event attendees and donors, that goal has been achieved! We would particularly like to thank our Honorary Chairs for Hooray for Marseille: Kelly and Phil Anthony, Brian Keane, Ryan and Maggie McKillen, Captain Dave Truitt, and the Wilson Family Foundation. "I want to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who gave to the Competition Fund," says Leif Sigmond, chair of the CYCF's Competition Fund Committee. "The support provided by these amazingly generous people is instrumental in allowing our talented Olympic sailors to pursue their dreams and compete on the world stage at the highest level."
The Competition Fund also supports many other Chicago-area sail racers' training for and participation in prestigious national and international sailing competitions, such as the Olympics, inter-club invitational events that are nationally recognized, match races ranked as Grade 2 or better that are internationally recognized, or (for participants under age 19 who demonstrate financial need) national, continental, or world championship events in a single or double-handed class.
More!
Learn more about Competition Fund grantees here
Donate to the Competition Fund here
View the Hooray for Marseille photo gallery here
Listen to WGN Radio's interview with Maggie Shea here
Watch WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee's interview with Steph Roble here
Read WGN TV's piece on Maggie Shea and Hooray for Marseille here
Stay tuned to watch the sailing competition from Marseille! The 49er (men's) and 49er FX (women's) skiff classes compete July 28 through August 1!