People: Stu Argo
STU ARGO: HELPING WIN AMERICA'S CUP
One of the most thrilling sports events this year was the America's Cup, sailing's most prestigious event. As viewers saw on ESPN, America, the speedy 75-footer that won the title in San Diego, boasted two Spartans on its crew--pitman Dawn Riley, '87, who sat out the final race against Il Moro di Venezia, and port sail trimmer Stu Argo Jr., '85, who performed with great expertise in the final match.
'I'm very excited,' says Argo, savoring the win in his suburban Detroit home. 'It has been a long year and a half. We regularly put in 72- hour weeks and I'm pleased that our efforts were rewarded.'
Industrialist Bill Koch spearheaded the winning program, which cost $65 million for the crew and four trial boats with the latest technology. Stu's job was to coordinate the forward sails (spinnakers and genoas), pulling them in or easing them out according to the wind angle. 'I communicate with the helmsman and with the grinders,' he notes. 'The grinders are the ones who turn the winches, the big guys, our offensive linemen, so to speak.'
His every move could add or subtract valuable seconds. A native of Grosse Pointe Woods, Stu has sailed 'all my life and raced since age 11.'
At MSU he sailed a Luhder 44 at a couple of Kennedy Cup races at the Naval Academy. He has also raced on maxi boats (80 ft. long) and won a world title last year. In the 1986 America's Cup in Freemantle, Australia, he finished 7th among the challengers. What now? 'I'll continue sailing,' says Stu without hesitation. 'After some rest I plan to go to the Mediterranean and race with Matadorý.'
That's another boat owned by Bill Koch. When you're winning, it seems, everything is smooth sailing.
