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A fun open-water race winds up becoming a fight for survival. One moment Mary Brigden is navigating heavy weather off Fort Lauderdale. And in the next, she’s underwater in the dark, trapped beneath an overturned yacht with rigging pinning her down. Fortunately, her naval aviation training helps her overcome this catastrophe, and she is rescued with the rest of her crew.  

From there, we pull back to take a look at the larger journey: Mary enters the U.S. Naval Academy during only the second year that women were admitted and becomes Navy’s first women’s All-American in any sport. We talk about the culture of the time, how the sailing team became a place to compete and belong, and the skill set that separates great sailors from good ones. 

After graduation, Mary takes us through her preparation for the 1988 Olympics. She shares the unforgettable experiences that come with sailing all over the world.  

We close on legacy: honoring the women pioneers in Naval Academy athletics and Mary's commitment  to help make the Robert Crown Sailing Center a first class facility for future midshipmen. 

Subscribe to Navy Sports Central, share this with a Navy sports fan, and leave a review. What part of Mary’s story hit you the hardest?

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