Lowell North

Lowell Orton North (December 2, 1929 – June 2, 2019) was an American competitive sailor and Olympic gold medalist. 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.

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. 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. In 1957 he founded North Sails, a world-wide company producing sailing equipment, in San Diego.

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

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

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

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