1956 Canadian Sailing Olympian David E. Howard passes away
by Sail Canada 26 Jan 2023 22:07 PST
1956 Canadian Sailing Olympian David E. Howard © Gregory Cox Photography
It is with great sadness that Sail Canada shares the news of 1956 Olympian David E. Howard's passing on January 21.
At 104 years of age, David E. Howard was the second oldest living Olympian in the world, following another sailor from Uruguay, Félix Sienra, who was born on January 21, 1916.
At the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, David Howard, who was also the Canadian Sailing Team Manager, took the eighth spot in the Dragon Class with Cliff Howard and Don Tytler.
He was also the winner of the 1954 Canada's Cup in the 8-Metre Venture II, skipper and syndicate member of True North at the 1969 Canada's Cup trials and of Marauder at the 1975 Canada's Cup Challenger, as well as sailing master on off-shore racers Inishfree and Bonaventure. Past Commodore at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, where he was an honorary life member, he was also one of the original four founders of the Nonsuch class. He was inducted into the Canadian Sailing Hall of Fame in August of 2018.
"On behalf of Sail Canada, I would like to offer our sincere condolences to the Howard family and to the members of David's home club, the Royal Canadian Yacht Club in Toronto," said Sail Canada's Chair of the Board of Directors, Hugh McGugan. "David was a great sailor, who proudly represented Canada at the 1956 Olympic Games, and who gave a lifetime of support to sailing in the country. He will not be forgotten."
You can read his obituary here.