After a long flight back from Rio de Janeiro, Brad returned to a huge crowed of fans waiting for him at Tampa International Airport, including many officers and members of the Clearwater Yacht Club, friends, family, and news crews from local CBS affiliate, channel 10 WTSP, NBC affiliate WFLA Channel 8, and Bay News 9.
It was a exciting and emotional time for all.
Now help us complete our film, so we can share this story of courage, dedication and achievement with everyone. Support the movie, Racing to Rio, with your generous, tax deductible donation. Click here to donate.
In every way, every sailor in Rio is a bonified Olympian. The struggle, the hard work, the intensity, the goals, the determination. These athletes are athletes, through and through.
Each and everyone of them is different, better, and more for competing. And to compete at this level, one is truly a world-class athlete.
Making it to this level is recognition of extreme talent, dedication and drive. Making it to the podium is the extreme mark of achievement.
Only two out of three races held today, race #9 postponed till tomorrow.
The USA boys took a 7th and a 2nd. Our friends on the Canadian team, skipped by Paul Tingley, have moved into 3rd. Australia extends their 1st place lead to 11 points.
Keep sailing fast, my friends!
Help us bring the story of adaptive sailing to a bigger audience. Support the movie, Racing to Rio, with your generous, tax deductible donation. Click here to donate.
Pictured: Brad Kendell (left) and his team at the 2016 Paralympics opening ceremony.
It’s been a long, challenging race to the Paralympic games but Sonar Team USA 1 has finally made it to Rio! We are beyond proud of Brad and the team!
Help us bring the story of adaptive sailing to a bigger audience. Support the movie, Racing to Rio, with your generous, tax deductible donation. Click here to donate.
Congratulations to Sonar Team USA 1 on another hard-earned victory! Team USA 1 took first place at the Helly Hansen St. Petersburg NOOD (National Offshore One-Design) Regatta 2016 last Saturday.
The crew of Racing To Rio was excited to catch the team on film. Competition was strong and the team had to race able-bodied and disabled sailors alike, but triumphed in the end. Perseverance, passion, and a love for the water definitely shined through.
The Barbaro-Gould Foundation and its crew are thrilled for Team USA 1 and wish them the best of luck on their journey to Rio 2016!
As always, your donations help us bring this story to life!
Training alongside Team USA 1 is the Canadian Paralympic Sonar Team, whose members have been welcomed by the Clearwater area with open arms. Both teams are working with coach Mike Ingham with a common goal in mind: Racing to Rio 2016.
We look forward to capturing the high spirits of all involved as the Canadian Paralympic Sonar Team exchanges creativity, sporstsmanship, and most of all, passion, with Team USA 1.
Racing to Rio is far more than the journey of a few elite athletes striving for world records, gold medals and personal bests. Racing to Rio is the story of transformation from individuals overcoming personal challenges to become world-class sailors and heroes who inspire others to face their challenges and live life to the fullest through the sport of sailing. Racing to Rio is literally about Brad Kendell's journey to the Paralympics in Rio 2016, but also serves on a larger scale as a metaphor for all people who face challenges and how they can take on life to win their own "races" by being the best they can be.