Ian MacDiarmid & Nevin Snow
49er
There is nothing casual about the life Ian MacDiarmid and Nevin Snow have chosen. The mandate is simple and uncompromising: pursue excellence in the hardest skiff class in the sport and build a program that can withstand pressure…rather than simply manage it.
Snow’s path began in San Diego’s junior scene and sharpened at Georgetown, but his trajectory bent decisively after watching a 49er world championship that reset his sense of what was possible. He stepped away from a conventional career to learn the brutal, exacting art of driving a skiff at speed from the wire. His talent is explosive and intuitive, the kind that can light up a fleet when timing and feel align. The challenge – and the opportunity – is turning that ceiling into something repeatable.
MacDiarmid is the counterweight. Raised in boats and drawn early to skiffs, he chose the 49er for its demand for precision under chaos. His approach is methodical and relentless: structure, daily planning, honest self-audit. Losing a tight Trials campaign hardened his resolve; seeing an American skiff medal proved proximity. He raises the floor of the program, day after day.
Long blocks, hard partners and transparent sessions are deliberate tools, not side effects. Snow expands what’s possible; MacDiarmid ensures the process survives the grind. This is full-time work: gym, video, rigging, hours on the water, recovery, repeat. The sacrifices are real, but so is the belief. With Los Angeles 2028 as the north star, this team is building trust, resilience and speed with intent. Two sailors, one skiff, and a shared conviction that pressure, properly used, becomes performance.
