Famed Olympian sailor Mark Reynolds is being welcomed to San Diego Coastkeeper’s board of directors. Coastkeeper is the region’s leading environmental nonprofit organization that protects and restores fishable, swimmable and drinkable waters in San Diego County.
Born in Ocean Beach and a current resident of Loma Portal, Reynolds is a four-time consecutive Olympic competitor in the Star Class. He earned two Star world championship titles, two gold Olympic medals and one silver Olympic medal. He also captured two-second place finishes in the College North American Dinghy Championships for San Diego State University and seven championships in the Star Bacardi Cup. He was the tactician for the 2002 winner of the Farr 40 Worlds. He also holds titles as the International Sailing Federation World Sailor of the Year and Rolex U.S. Yachtsman of the year. In 2012, Reynolds was inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame.
“I grew up on San Diego’s waters and have seen the water quality improve due to regulations and organizations like San Diego Coastkeeper,” said Reynolds. “Like me, so many San Diego residents and industries depend on clean water, so it’s a natural fit to support Coastkeeper, which focuses on improving and restoring fishable, swimmable and drinkable waters.”
Reynolds graduated from Point Loma High School, earned a bachelors of science degree from San Diego State University and an honorary doctorate from Piedmont College. He is a representative of the San Diego Yacht Club on its Green Subcommittee and is a co-liaison for the Sailors of the Sea Clean Regatta certification program.
Coastkeeper’s board of directors currently has 13 members.