Josh Toso: What makes sailing so special to me

SAN FRANCISCO (#1206) — Josh Toso is US Sailing's Marketing Director. He's bright, enthusiastic, outgoing yet grounded. We've had him as a guest on TFE LIVE a couple times, and have always found his perspective interesting and insightful. Josh has written a nice piece on his recent experience racing in the J/24 North Americans, hosted last month by Rochester YC (Rochester, NY), which we reprise here with his permission. Josh's final paragraph is a good summary:

The one other thing I came to realize is that the idea of family is not exclusive to genetically or legally connected individuals. I know it is true at many other regattas, but it was especially clear to me, and I felt it whole heartedly at this one…we are all family. We all have these experiences together, we all face the same elements and challenges together, we all laugh and play together, and we all compete with and against each other. Whether we are related or not…that sounds like family to me. All these people I see at every regatta I go to in any number of states throughout the country, these people are my family…always have been, and always will be…and I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world!

Read the full article on the US Sailing website here.

Josh Toso flying the kite with a last-minute, pick-up crew — and new friends — at last month's J/24 North Americans at Rochester (NY) Yacht Club) with Marty Gallagher, Elisa Schneider, Beau DeLapouyade and Valerie Bucholtz. Photo by Christopher Howell courtesy of the J/24 Class via the US Sailing website. And, will wonders never cease, US Sailing published the names of the crew with the photo. ;)