Lowell North

Lowell Orton North (December 2, 1929 – June 2, 2019) was an American sailor and Olympic gold medalist.[1] He competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, where he received a gold medal in the Star class with the boat North Star, together with Peter Barrett.[2]

Lowell North
Personal information
Full nameLowell Orton North
Nickname(s)"The Pope"
NationalityAmerican
Born(1929-12-02)December 2, 1929
Springfield, Missouri, U.S.
DiedJune 2, 2019(2019-06-02) (aged 89)
San Diego, California, U.S.
Sailing career
Class(es)Dragon, Star
Club San Diego Yacht Club
College team University of California, Berkeley
Medal record
Men's sailing
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1968 Mexico City Star class
Bronze medal – third place 1964 Tokyo Dragon class
World Championships
Gold medal – first place1945 Central Long Island SoundStar class
Gold medal – first place1957 HavanaStar class
Gold medal – first place1959 Newport HarborStar class
Gold medal – first place1960 Rio de JaneiroStar class
Gold medal – first place1973 San DiegoStar class
Silver medal – second place1956 NaplesStar class
Silver medal – second place1963 ChicagoStar class
Silver medal – second place1966 KielStar class
Silver medal – second place1967 CopenhagenStar class
Silver medal – second place1971 Puget SoundStar class
Bronze medal – third place1961 San DiegoStar class
Bronze medal – third place1969 San DiegoStar class

Biography

North was born in Springfield, Missouri on December 2, 1929. He was the son of Williard North, a geophysicist for oil companies, and Juanita Williams North, a homemaker. When Lowell was young the family moved to Southern California, where he learned to sail in Newport Beach and later in San Diego.[3]

He got his start as a sailmaker at the age of 14, when he and his father raced Star class boats and regularly lost. He recut the sail and improved their record. In 1945, at age 15, he crewed for Malin Burnham in the Star World Championship, which they won. North later said, "It wasn’t me Malin wanted. It was my mainsail."[4][5] During the next 30 years he won another four Star Worlds.

He studied at San Diego State College and earned a degree in civil engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.[3] He worked as a structural engineer in the aerospace industry, but sail design remained his main passion. He opened his first sail making company in the late 1950s, where "his methodical and scientific approach to sailmaking changed the industry." He used computer modeling, new materials, and advanced manufacturing techniques.[4] In 1957 he founded North Sails, a world-wide company producing sailing equipment, in San Diego.[6]

He received a bronze medal in the Dragon class at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.[7]

North participated in 1977 America's Cup defender series where he skippered the 12 metre yacht Enterprise.[8]

North retired in 1984. In 2011, he was inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame.[9]

Personal life

In 1956 he married Kay Gillette North (March 9, 1933 – September 5, 2021). They had three children: Danny, Holly, and Julie.[10] They later divorced. In 1994 he married Helen Beatrice Davidson, known as Bea, who survived him.[3]

See also

References
  1. Wilson, Bernie. "Pioneering sailmaker Lowell North dies at 89". Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 4, 2019. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  2. "1968 Summer Olympics – Mexico City, Mexico – Sailing". databaseOlympics.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2008. Retrieved April 18, 2008.
  3. Slotnik, Daniel E. (June 6, 2019). "Lowell North, World Champion Sailor and Innovative Sailmaker, Dies at 89". The New York Times. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  4. Henry, Tim (June 5, 2019). "The Legend of Lowell North". Latitude 38. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  5. "North, Lowell - 2011 Hall of Fame". www.nshof.org. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  6. "60 Years of Sailmaking". North Sails. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  7. "1964 Summer Olympics – Tokyo, Japan – Sailing". databaseOlympics.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2007. Retrieved April 18, 2008.
  8. "Lowell North Bio, Stats, and Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  9. "Lowell North 2011 Inductee". Nshof.org. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  10. "Kay Gillette North". San Diego Union Tribune. September 19, 2021.
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