2010 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
2012 London, England
dock
by Cole Dittmer Photography Courtesy of Dr. Anne Allen DOC
Local sports medicine specialist Dr. Anne Allen can usually be found at the Carolina Yacht Club either
racing around the Wrightsville waterways or watching over her friends and family sailing in the multitude of
regattas and races.
Wrightsville Beach Fire Department Captain Sterling Powell, her childhood friend and medical safety boat
operator for these races, knows who she is in the international sailing community and how many Paralympic
athletes she has helped overcome insurmountable obstacles. But few others know she has walked with the
United States Paralympic Sailing Team in the opening ceremonies of three Paralympic Games as the team
physician; or met Muhammad Ali in 1996 in Atlanta, when she was the team physician for the Philippine
Olympic Boxing Team, or taught seminars in sports medicine all over the world, from New Zealand to
Copenhagen, China to India.
What most know of is her love of Wrightsville Beach, sailing, competition, the freedom of the water and her
passion for sharing those loves with the physically disabled.
WBM: You and Fire Department Captain Sterling Powell operate
safety boats for Carolina Yacht Club regattas and in Miami for
the International Sailing Federation World Cup Miami Olympic
Classes Regatta. When did you two team up?
ALLEN: Sterling and I grew up together in Forest Hills and
down here at the yacht club. I had been going down to the
Miami regatta for about ten years to work, and two or three
years ago, I asked him if he wanted to come with me to help.
Sterling is such a good safety officer. … He is really good
at anticipating what might go wrong so he can prevent it. We
get a of variety of injuries because it is a very athletic endeavor.
People don’t think of sailors as athletes, but you have to be very
2002 Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
1996 Atlanta, Georgia, United States
2004 Athens, Greece
2008 Beijing, China
2000 Sydney, Australia
Top: Dr. Anne Allen and Sterling Powell at the International Sailing Federation World Cup Miami Olympic Classes Regatta in 2010.
Bottom: Rowers Rob Jones and Oksana Masters won bronze in the trunk and arms mixed doubles sculls during the 2012 Paralympic
Games. Opposite: Dr. Anne Allen and Sterling Powell provide safety for regattas at the Carolina Yacht Club.
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CPT. STERLING POWELL
32
WBM may 2013
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALLISON POTTER