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"We're very excited to be on the Olympic Team," said skipper Sally BARKOW moments after getting off the water at the Yngling World Championships in Miami. "We have a long road ahead of us to get ready for the tough competition in China, but we're looking forward to it."

After earning a fourth overall finish at the Yngling Women's World Championship on Friday, the BARKOW, Carrie HOWE and Debbie CAPOZZI - also referred to as Team 7 - successfully completed qualification for the US Olympic Team for Sailing. US SAILING's Olympic Sailing Committee will now officially nominate the Team to the U.S. Olympic Committee.

"We're excited to have Sally, Carrie and Debbie on the 2008 Olympic Team," said Dean BRENNER, Chair of US SAILING's Olympic Sailing Committee. "Their record over the last four years speaks for itself, and they have earned the right to represent the United States."

The competition at the Yngling Women's World Championship was fierce, with several countries still hoping to qualify for a berth at the Games. Team 7 earned the Yngling berth for the USA last August after winning a silver medal at the 2007 ISAF Sailing World Championships in Cascais, Portugal, which was also the first event of two that would determine the USA representatives to the Games.

"We had to fight hard to come back from behind," said BARKOW, the 2007 US SAILING Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, about the team's fourth place finish at the Worlds. "It wasn't easy but we did a pretty good job."

ISAF Olympic microsite - www.sailing.org/olympics