Every day, Cadance Oswald, a 16-year-old Wellington resident, goes to bed at night and wakes up in the morning thinking about the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Oswald is an experienced sailor who is currently practicing and training for the Olympics. Her competitive focus is on the mixed dinghy event, which is a small boat sailing competition.
As the term “mixed” indicates, she has a male partner on board the boat with her. It’s 23-year-old Micky Munns. Both are focused on making that U.S. Olympic team as a sailing tandem. To be successful, it will require months and months of training together, just to have a chance of becoming U.S. Olympians. There are no guarantees about reaching their Olympic goal, but both Oswald and Munns can guarantee that they will give everything in their power to compete for Team USA.
While on board the boat, Oswald serves as the crew and Munns is the skipper/helmsman. Munns drives the boat, while Oswald is stationed at the front, where she monitors the status of two of the sails, the jib and the spinnaker. The skipper/helmsman keeps an eye on the main sail.
As young as they are, both have years of sailing experience, which is a big plus. Oswald has been sailing since she was seven years old, and Munns has been sailing ever since he could stand. They are based out of the U.S. Sailing Center in Miami.
In order to train for the Olympics and still go to school, Oswald is enrolled in Florida Virtual School.
For the Oswald-Munns tandem to succeed and earn a spot on the 2028 U.S. Olympic team, there are many skills that they both must fine-tune.
“It takes teamwork and the ability to work as a partnership to be successful,” Munns said.
Every day out on the water is different.
“In sailing, you have to read the wind,” Oswald explained. “Sailing is super demanding, both physically and mentally. It’s a sport that requires lots of decision-making while out to sea.”
However, their overall commitment to excellence is second-to-none.
“We are training on the water for four hours each day,” said Oswald, who wears a life-preserver while on board any sailboat.
The Oswald-Munns team is committed to rigorous training — mentally and physically — in order to be their best at all times. They are also committed to extensive international competition between now and 2028.
In recent months, the team has proven worthy. In October of last year, the Oswald-Munns team won the U.S. 470 National Championship in Carlyle, Illinois. It was their first-ever major title.
This victory solidified the team’s status as a leading U.S. contender for Olympic qualification.
“Winning the nationals after just a month of training together was a testament to our synergy and shared determination,” Munns said.
And in January of this year, the Oswald-Munns sailing team won its first-ever 470 Midwinter Championship, which was held in Miami.
That victory proved consistent performance across all conditions, showcasing world-class boat handling and teamwork.
“This win reinforced our confidence as we continue preparing for Olympic qualification,” Oswald said.
According to Oswald, one of the unique aspects of dinghy sailing is that it’s a sport that’s appealing to the eye, but not easy to watch.
“It’s an elegant sport to watch, but it’s not spectator-friendly, since we are so far out in the ocean,” she explained.
While Oswald has been out on the ocean, she has taken the time to appreciate its natural beauty.
“I’ve seen sea turtles, pods of dolphins and flying fish while out sailing in the ocean,” Oswald said. “And, if you knock on the side of the boat, the dolphins will hear it and come over to you.”
To find out more about the Oswald-Munns team, including the chance to donate funds to help them reach their Olympic goals, visit www.MO470.com.
