New Sailor to RS Fest Podium Finisher | RS Venture Connect

Three months ago, Sam Niedzielski was learning to sail. Today, she has a boat of her own. Since discovering the basics through a sailing programme run by the Challenged Athletes Foundation on Lake Washington Sailing Club, she’s spent the summer building confidence on the water, getting race experience and finding out just how far she could take herself. That progress came into focus at RS Fest San Francisco 2026. Racing an RS Venture Connect at Richmond Yacht, Sam held her own in a strong fleet and sailed her way to an impressive second-place finish overall. Sam's story is a great example of what can happen when opportunity, the right equipment and a supportive sailing community come together. "I like meeting other sailors who are really good at it. I hope it takes me around the world and I get to sail in lots of different places." 🎬 Digital Contrast Media for West Sacramento Inclusive Sailing Foundation #rssailing #rsailitliveitloveit #RSFestSanFran #SailingForAll #AdaptiveSailing