Sag: Do you plan to sail later on in your life?

Silvestri: I’d like to. My dad’s sailing played a really big role in his life as a young adult. He traveled around the world and lived in Australia and Hawaii and trained there for years and won the biggest race in the world. It plays a huge role in your life, but I don’t know how far along in life I’d be able, or want, to take off two or three years off work or school to sail around the world, but that’s on the list of things I’d like to do.

Sag: What’s your least favorite thing about sailing?

Silvestri: When it’s bad weather, it’s terrifying. One time I got hypothermia from sailing. Training on the Charles in early April is a little hazardous, and when it’s cold or when it’s raining, obviously sailing’s going to be cancelled for rain because you’re out on the water. When you’re out in a storm it can be really windy, and when you capsize…

Sag: What effect has sailing had on you?

Silvestri: Well, it’s something I do all summer–I teach in the summer. You have to be patient and you have to be subtle and you have to be tactical and plan in advance and think about your actions before you follow through. It’s going to help with your visual thinking and planning, breaking things down into tactical steps.

Sag: What’s your favorite thing about sailing?

Silvestri: I love sailing in the summer. It can be very exhilarating, racing too. It can be terrifying and it can also be beautiful, depending on the wind conditions and the weather and the day. When it’s good, it’s really good.

Sag: Who has had the biggest impact on your athletic career?

Silvestri: My dad probably has the biggest impact on my sailing life because he’s the reason I started to sail in the first place.

Rosa Stern-Pait can be contacted at [email protected].