US Sailing notes with deep sorrow the passing of Mark Murphy (Annapolis, Md.) on June 10, 2020.
Mark’s accomplishments as a race official, yacht club leader and great friend were many. He was a past Commodore of Eastport Yacht Club and member of Annapolis Yacht Club. Being a sailor and a race official, he once said, is a lifestyle. With his wife Sandy Grosvenor, Mark lived that lifestyle fully.
A National Race Officer and International Race Officer, Mark ran countless events, large and small, including the 2000 Star Worlds, the Santa Maria Cup International Women’s Match Racing Championships, national and regional championships, pre-Olympic events, and the 2018 Annapolis to Bermuda Ocean Race. He also served as PRO or DRO at numerous Miami Olympic Classes Regattas, later known as Sailing World Cup – Miami.
One of the first recognized Senior Race Officers, Mark was a major contributor to the development of the race officer training program in the late 1990s with Tom Farquhar and Pat Seidenspinner. Among his tasks in those days was being a test subject for the NRO Essay Test – which he consistently passed and provided valuable feedback on.
Mark was also a dedicated teacher who freely shared his vast knowledge in both formal and informal settings. He was a frequent instructor of race management courses, a presenter at various symposia and meetings of race officials, and a thoughtful contributor to the efforts of the US Sailing National Faculty. Mark also served for more than 20 years on the US Sailing Race Management Committee and the Race Officer Training and Certification Subcommittee, as well as multiple terms as Area Race Officer for Area C.
The racing community will miss Mark’s gentle manner, his dry wit and his deep commitment to the advancement of our sport.