“WHAT IT MEANS TO BE SAMOA’S FIRST FEMALE OLYMPIC SAILOR” By Vaimo’oi’a Ripley
23 June 2025 - Every year on Olympic Day, we celebrate more than just athletes. We honour the courage it takes to chase a dream, the people who make that dream possible, and the belief that no matter how small your island is, your ambition doesn’t have to be.
By Vaimo’oi’a Ripley Olympic Sailor for Samoa | ILCA 6 Classs
For me, Olympic Day 2025 is deeply personal.
Almost a year ago, I had the honour of becoming the first Samoan woman to compete in sailing at an Olympic Games, representing our country in Paris in the ILCA 6 dinghy class boat.
It’s a milestone I carry with pride — but one that was only possible because of the legacy of service, faith, and fierce love that shaped me.
My voyage started in Samoa, in the safe lagoon of Mulinuʻu, where I learnt to sail for the first time at the Apia Yacht Club. My first instructor was my aunt Raema von Reiche. She was a powerful Samoan woman who taught me how to read the wind and waves and how to be confident and humble. With her help, sailing became more than just a pastime; it became a way for us to connect with our ancestors and our identity as people of the sea.
That link to family and heritage has been a part of every step of my journey. Robert Ripley and Afamasaga Seiuli Salamasina von Reiche, my parents, taught me and my five siblings to live active, healthy lives. They taught us that moving our bodies makes our minds and spirits stronger. My Nana, Papaliitele Momoe Malietoa, was a strong matriarch who supported my sailing even if it meant going against the conventional roles expected of a tamaitai Samoa. She recognised that this was still tautua — service to Samoa in a different form that still honoured our people and our legacy.
And tomorrow, 24 June, would have been my sister’s 30th birthday. Tu’iemanu Ripley, who was called to God’s army at just 21 years old, but not before becoming our family’s first Olympian — representing American Samoa in sailing at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore 2010.
She was a fierce competitor, a proud Samoan, and someone who lived with fire and purpose. Since her passing in 2016, I’ve carried her spirit with me — on the water, in my work, and in the way I choose to live boldly, just like she did.
Beyond Samoa, my path was strengthened by support far from home. In Sydney, the Middle Harbour Amateur Sailing Club offered me the chance to train with them — a gesture that represents the wider Pacific-Australia sailing community’s belief in me. Among those who stood by me was Jeff Loosemore, a decorated Australian ILCA 6 Master sailor. His world-class performances in the Great Grand Masters — and his generous, behind-the-scenes support — are reminders that no athlete rises alone.
There were many challenges. I trained while working full-time, often without consistent coaching or funding. I relied on friends who offered a spare bed, family who drove me across countries, and mentors who quietly helped with equipment, advice, and encouragement. The village that carried me included sailing clubs, donations, elders, and the quiet strength of my faith.
There were moments I didn’t know how I’d keep going. But each time I reached the edge of my own limits, God made a way. His provision came through people, through peace, and through reminders that I wasn’t alone. One verse became my anchor:
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles…” — Isaiah 40:31
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, I gave it everything. The conditions were tough — from strong winds to long delays — but I held my own. In Race 7, I crossed the line in 12th place — a personal best — though a black-flag disqualification meant the result didn’t count. Still, I proved to myself that I belonged in that fleet. And that Samoa belonged there too.
This journey was never just about being first. It’s about paving a way forward. For the young girls in Samoa who don’t yet see themselves in sport, on the ocean, or on the global stage — this one is for you.
As I begin my next Olympic campaign toward Los Angeles 2028, I carry with me deep gratitude, unwavering faith, and a fierce commitment to give back. I want to help continue growing sailing in Samoa, support our future athletes, and honour the legacy that brought me here — one of service, family, culture, community, and God.
To my family, my coaches, my sponsors, my community — fa’afetai tele lava. You helped carry Samoa to the Olympic Games.
To my extended sailing aiga — from Samoa to Sydney and beyond — thank you for believing in me, even when the journey was uncertain
This Olympic Day, I reflect with humility and hope. May we continue to believe in each other’s dreams — even when they take us far from home, and out to sea.
“E lē sili le ta‘i i lo le tapua‘i.”The helmsman is never greater than the prayer that sent them.
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