Shelter Island Olympian Amanda Clark-Nissen Sailing for Gold

With the torch about to be lit at the 2012 Summer Olympics and fans from Southampton, N.Y. to Southampton, England set to tune in, we’re taking a “play global, root local” approach with sailor Amanda Clark-Nissen, the Shelter Island native competing in the Women’s International 470 series in London. As Clark-Nissen and teammate Sarah Lihan of Florida prep to do the USA proud in Weymouth, we offer a countdown of facts and figures to help you root her on to victory—or at least share at your Olympics watching party.

10. Her grandfather grew up on Shelter Island, her father is a bayman on Shelter Island, and she was raised swimming in the waters of Gardiner’s Bay.

9. She is in no way related to or associated with the Amanda Clark from the hit ABC Hamptons-centric show, Revenge.

8. This is not Clark-Nissen’s first time going for gold. After serving as an Olympic alternate in 2004, she finished 12th our of 19 boats in the Womens at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

7. She joined the Shelter Island Yacht Club’s junior sailing program at age 7.

6. She trains 16 hours a day, including working out with Navy SEALs.

5. She wears Sperry Top-Siders, but she has modeled a bikini. 

4. If she and Lihan come home with any hardware, they will be the first U.S. women’s 470 team to medal at the Olympics since Jennifer Isler and Sarah Glaser took silver at the 2000 Olympics.

3. There is no live sailing coverage scheduled for TV, but you can watch Clark-Nissen and all the Women’s International 470 action live online starting Friday, August 3, at 7 a.m. at www.nbcolympics.com.

2. Clark-Nissen used to clam with her dad every morning, and has been known to teach people how to clam with their feet.

1. She reads Dan’s Papers and Danshamptons.com.