Rolf, I have been hearing for years that in some European countries, small-boat sailors who are training for the Olympics are paid salaries by their governments or national authorities or whatever to do full-time sailing.

That is not the case in the United States. There is very little funding, and people have to have regular jobs or rely upon finding sponsors to keep them going. Frankly, I don't know how any U.S. sailors manage to put on Olympic campaigns. It would be a major stretch for me to call them "professionals."

I would call them "experts." Otherwise, they would not be trying for the Olympics and sacrificing as much as they do in terms of family and career.