GBHS grad leads Navy sailing team
Foss co-skippers 'American Promise' in Annapolis to Newport race
BY HANNAH BUNNING Gulf Breeze News news@gulfbreezenews.com

Jim Foss, above left, co-skippered the American Promise, above right, during the historic race along the East Coast from Annapolis to New Port.

Jim Foss, a 2004 graduate of Gulf Breeze High School and current First Class at the United States Naval Academy, recently raced across the Atlantic Ocean. As a member of the USNA sailing team, he and his teammates have been involved in many races throughout their time at the academy.

To start off the summer, Foss participated in one of the most historic and well-known races along the East Coast, the Annapolis to Newport Race. Foss, co-skipper of the American Promise, as well as the rest of the crew, arrived in Newport after four days.

"We had bad weather almost the entire way and 30-40 mile per hour winds," said Foss. The American Promise, a Hood 60 racing yacht, placed tenth out of the sixty boats participating in the race.

After completing the Annapolis to Newport race, the team traveled to Marion, Massachusetts, to prepare for their next race. Foss, and the crew of the American Promise, were one of eighty participants in the 30 Anniversary of the Marion to Bermuda race. Finishing 15 and winning the title of Best Service Academy Boat, the crew arrived in Bermuda after 90 hours of straight sailing and faced difficulties on their journey ranging from a broken toilet to almost a complete lack of wind.

Submitted photos

While in Bermuda, Foss and his teammates had the opportunity to spend time with the former USNA graduate and former presidential candidate, Ross Perot. During their stay, the team enjoyed a day of sightseeing on Perot's yacht, and had the privilege of having dinner in his home.

"One thing that I remember him saying when someone asked him what he did to become so successful was, 'the less you leave to chance, the better chance you have'," Foss said of his visit with Perot.

Foss was also a member of the winning crew aboard the J105 allegiance in the 2006 Ft. Lauderdale to Key West Race, and he served as XO aboard the C&C Patriot in the 2006 Centennial Newport Bermuda Race. He will graduate from the USNA in May of 2008 with a degree in Ocean Engineering and hopes to pursue a career in naval aviation. He is the son of Jim Foss and Katherine Knight of Gulf Breeze.