With victories in the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) 2023 Women’s Fleet Race Nationals and 2024 Women’s Team Racing National Championship, and being member of the first all-female team to win the co-ed Open Fleet Race Nationals, Michelle Lahrkamp has a future so bright she’s gotta wear shades.
“I grew up in Rye, New York sailing out of American Yacht Club,” says Michelle. “My parents immigrated to the U.S. after their MBAs in Germany. Dad sailed a 470 in Germany recreationally on lakes and Mom windsurfed on a manmade lake in her hometown. When they moved to America they reconnected with sailing and our first family sailboat was a Jonmeri 40 we sailed in the AYC Sunset Series on weekends and Friday nights in the summer. I joined the Junior JAYC and JAYC summer camp programs, where I fell in love with the sport. When it was too windy for sailing class, I’d beg my instructors to let me sail around in the harbor. I also loved the racing part of the summer, and was competitive very early on in Long Island Sound regattas.”
“I’ve had very influential mentors over the years who have shaped who I am today. Kevin Broome was the JAYC program director very early in my Opti journey, and he was also our Rye High School Sailing coach. He taught me a lot of baseline knowledge of rigging, points of sail, and short-course racing. Beyond JAYC, I sailed on Sail Strong with Peter Strong, and then at LISOT with Opti coach Pepe Bettini and I420 coach Steve Keen. Steve, who also coached the Rye High School team, was a huge influence on my discipline, which truly shaped who I was going into college sailing.”
“On my official visit to Stanford University in February 2019, the Sailing team and people at the university stood out to me. They were so welcoming, intellectually curious, and passionate. The team was very close, and shared their passions for both academic and athletic endeavors. That balance was super important to me. Stanford Athletics also has a huge support system for Varsity teams including medical, academic, nutrition, and fitness benefits.”
“I studied Management Science & Engineering and minored in Spanish. The major is unique to Stanford, combining engineering fundamentals, business, finance, quantitative statistics, and entrepreneurship. I wanted to continue to gain skills on the supply chain and operations, so I applied and was accepted into the coterminal Master’s degree with a concentration in Data & Decisions. The Coterm program is also unique to Stanford, as you can start your Master’s degree during your last year of undergrad. I completed my BS in MS&E in the spring of 2023, and my MS in MS&E in spring 2024.”
“I had incredible coaches at Stanford including Brian Swingly and Chris Klevan as my head coaches, and assistant coaches such as Nic Baird, Greiner Hobbs, Augie Dale, and Shawn Harvey. Brian taught me to be a team player, to balance academic and athletic endeavors, to work together to overcome adversity, to be resilient, that starting spots are earned through a meritocracy, and that age or year is no barrier to rising as a leader.”
“Chris and I have sailed together at practice more than anyone else on the team. Since my first day at pre-season freshman year, he helped me with my footwork in the boat, taught me everything I know about team racing, the importance of accurate and precise boat handling, experimenting with different styles of tacks, trusting the process, believing in yourself and the work you’ve put in, resetting after bad races, and clawing back to make up as many points as possible.”
“My older teammates throughout my years on the Stanford Sailing Team (2019-2024) were highly influential mentors, many of whom I’m in touch with today. They were there for me daily at practice and pushed me to be the person, leader, and sailor.”
“In my freshman year (2020), I was named Quantum Women’s Sailor of the Year. This was the first time Stanford had received the award, and the first time a freshman won. The team was recovering from Varsity Blues that year, and adjusting to a brand-new coaching staff. Nevertheless, we all worked together and pushed each other to bring Stanford Sailing back to the top. Our hard work paid off, and my teammate Jack won the Marlow Ropes Open Sailor of the Year.”
“In my sophomore year, the team made the best out post-COVID restrictions and became very close. My sophomore year Nationals was the first time I sailed in the Open fleet. My teammate Sammy Pickell and I won B Division in the 2021 Open Fleet Race Nationals, which was the last woman by a woman 20 years ago, before Sammy and I were born. It was a special moment and we finished second overall as a team.”
“The Women’s Team Racing Championship was added in my junior year. It was an exciting regatta for women’s sailing, and Stanford finished third in that inaugural event. Later that spring, I competed at all Fleet races and Open team race events at Tulane. I was named both an open and women’s all- American that year, and it was very special to be recognized in both.”
“All the hard work paid off senior year. We finished second at the Women’s Team Racing Championship at Stanford, and carried our grit and drive into the Kings Point Nationals, where we won our first Women’s Fleet Race Championship. Then our Women’s team started at the Open Team Racing Championship and went undefeated in the first round. After nine days of racing, we entered the final round of the 2023 Open Fleet Race Championship, stayed consistent, trusted the work we’d put in to ultimately win and make history. We were an all-women’s team that won the 2023 Open Fleet Race Championship.”
“Alongside sailing, I was a national undergrad coordinator for the ICSA’s Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Task Force (TIDE). My involvement on the Pacific Coast Collegiate Sailing Conference board as an undergraduate board member and TIDE involvement was recognized during my senior year, when I was awarded the Jim Rousmaniere Award in the ICSA Hall of Fame for student leadership.”
“My Master’s year was a special opportunity, since ICSA granted a COVID exception to allow grad students to compete at the same institution where they completed their undergrad degrees. Hannah, Vanessa, and I had meshed so well together over the years. It was extremely special to win both the 2024 Women’s Fleet and Women’s Team Race Championship. We went back-to-back in the Fleet race and added a new National title for Stanford in my final year.”
Michelle’s younger sister Vanessa is a member of that championship team. “Vanessa and I were never competitive with each other,” she explains. “We grew up supporting and celebrating each other’s successes, always sharing ideas and pushing each other to be better. Vanessa’s and my natural trust and information flow that we’ve built growing up together was special. Her and my style of racing is very different, so when we exchanged thoughts or findings with each other it allowed Stanford Sailing to think ahead and execute faster.”
“Our third teammate, Hannah Freeman, and I have been sailing together since she was a freshman, and it was super special that after four years with Hannah and now with Vanessa, that we just destroyed Women’s Nationals Team Race. Our whole team also operates in the same way, making sure to put the team first and support the starting teams that are representing Stanford at that moment. Everyone has a role on the team and needs to be ready at all times, which all my teammates and I respect because we lose and win as one. When we made history, it was extra special because we did it as a team, and sharing that moment with a younger sister is very rare, so I’ll cherish that moment together forever.”
Michelle (pictured steering) was an eight-time All-American during her time at Stanford, across both Open and Women’s events. “My coaches and teammates supported the success of Stanford Sailing. We all believed in each other, overcame obstacles together, and grew to become a successful program. I will cherish celebrating our successes forever. Go CARD!”
“I’m starting as an Associate Consultant at Bain & Company. I hope to gain skills to be able to solve and strategically analyze various business problems in many industries. My ultimate dream is to be a C-level executive of a small or medium enterprise driving next-stage growth and scaling initiatives.”
“I enjoy both dinghy and keelboat team racing (2v2 or 3v3), and Snipe and J/70 fleet racing. I hope to compete in 2v2 and 3v3 team racing events with American Yacht Club. I plan to sail at the dinghy team race events such as Midwinters and Hinman trophies, and I’m looking forward to match racing at Oakcliff, offshore racing in Long Island Sound, and the Newport Bermuda Race.”
“As a competitive sailor, I love that we can all race, be chirpy, and challenge each other on the water but then after racing is done the community of friends you build your whole life is truly special. Sailing as a sport is unique as there are so many factors out of your control and only so little in your control. It’s a constant chess game and risk management where some luck plays a role. That makes sailing exciting, as it isn’t fully predictable and requires high attention to detail and resilience. All the while, you’re on the water competing with your friends.” ■
