Welcome to Behind the Sail with Sailors for the Sea Ambassador, Lara Dallman-Weiss!
Get ready to go beyond the sail and into the heart of what drives one of America’s top sailors. In this series, we’ll chart the course of Lara’s sailing journey—from her first time on the water to becoming a 2x Olympian and a fierce competitor on the US Sailing Team.
Whether you’re a lifelong sailor or just curious about what it takes to chase wind and medals, you’re in for an inspiring and honest ride. Let’s set sail!
What is the first memory you have of being on a boat?
It was with my dad racing on his M-16, which is in the scow family, which are flat bottomed boats sailed mostly on lakes. We went to a championship regatta together in Iowa and camped with several of the competitors. The memories I have are of getting off the mooring and being inspired seeing other females racing hard.
Do you have a go-to pre-race or pre-sail snack?
I like this company called Spring Energy, they are made from whole foods and have easy packaging so I can have snacks in my life jacket. It’s especially great if we are delayed on the water and I am burning more calories than expected!
Paris 2024 Olympian Panel @ ODP November Camp
Do you have any pre-race or pre-sail rituals or superstitions?
I am not a superstitious person, but I LOVE rituals and routines. Before sailing I listen to good music (the intensity changes depending on the weather) and I warm up the body with activation. I rig the same things [on the boat] in the same way every time I train and race, which helps me save all of the brain power for the race course!
We’re back with part two of Behind the Sail! This time, Lara shares some of her most unforgettable moments from life on the water.
In Part 3 of Behind the Sail, Olympic sailor Lara opens up about embracing pressure, finding balance through breath work, and the excitement of competing in her third Olympic Games—this time on home waters.
Dive into Lara’s journey and discover how she continues to find purpose, joy, and inspiration on the road to the Olympics.
How do you handle the pressure of competing on the world stage?
I love pressure. I love the moment when all eyes are on the athletes and it’s time to execute everything we have trained so hard for. Maybe it comes from a background in dance, or just being very level headed in general, but making the correct decisions when it matters most comes natural. I actually seek for ways to put extra pressure on myself when we aren’t competing to make everything a little more interesting.
If you’re looking for a tip for when the stakes are high, I can’t emphasize breath work enough; knowing the mechanics of breathing and being able to take a reset breath is the most powerful tool in my book.
Photo: Salty Brother
Which Olympic moment are you most proud of so far?
Everything we overcame just to get to the starting line in Tokyo. After a year of postponement and unknowns, our team went from being the underdogs to winning our Olympic trials. We built our mindset and technique from scratch, raised the funds required to run a campaign, and trusted our guts when we could have had so many reasons to become defeated. It took a ton of creativity and grit and I’m really proud of that.
What does it feel like preparing for your third Olympic Games compared to your first?
Each campaign has been unique and beautiful; this one is different because the excitement of a home games really is like nothing I’ve ever experienced. Life on the road can be very taxing as an athlete and to be able to race and train in my home country and know the world will be coming to us makes all the difference. I’m discovering a fuel that I didn’t know was there.
How do you hope to inspire the next generation of sailors?
My story is unique – I didn’t grow up competing in international events as a youth sailor. I played many sports and take so many lessons from each one of them. I hope kids can see that there are many ways to achieve success and to always keep joy and curiosity in their lives.
Follow along on Lara’s journey to #LA28 here and learn more about our Sailors for the Sea Ambassador program here!
