Mark Mendelblatt
Encyclopedia
Mark Mendelblatt is an American yachtsman. He primarily sails the Laser
, a one-design
class of small (13 inch long, and 130 lb or 59 kg) single-handed sailing dinghy
. Beginning in 2005, he also began racing the two-person racing keelboat
Star class
.
When he was 11 years old, he won the International Optimist Dinghy National Sailing Championships, and when he was 18, he won the Laser II World Championships. A three-time college All-American at Tufts University
, he won a silver medal in the Laser at the 1999 Pan American Games
. In 2004, he won a silver medal at the Laser World Championships.
. His father, Frank, and his brother, David
(also a sailor), are ophthalmologists. His mother, Kathy, supervises their practice.
He attended St. Petersburg High School
, helping its sailing team win four consecutive national titles, and graduated in 1991. He resides in St. Petersburg, and is a securities broker.
In 1989, at the age of 16, he teamed with his 19-year-old brother David to outrace 21 other entries and win the Laser II North American Championships in Maryland. In 1991, at the age of 18, he won the Laser II World Championships in England, competing against more than 180 adult competitors.
Athlete of the Year in both 1993 and 1994. In 1993, he won the collegiate National Single-Handed Championship in Seattle, the New England Singlehanded Championship, and the New England Sloop Championship. In 1995 he won the Laser National Championships. He graduated Tufts in 1995, with a degree in Psychology.
Mendelblatt earned a silver medal
in the Laser at the 1999 Pan American Games
on Lake Winnipeg
, behind Brazil's Robert Scheidt
and ahead of Diego Romero
of Argentina. That year he also won the Laser North American title, and the US Olympic Sailing Committee recognized him as Athlete of the Year.
In 2000, he came in 2nd out of 32 boats at the Laser Olympic Team Trials. The next year he won the 2001 Laser
North American
Championships. From 2000–03, he was the "traveler" (working the control that moves the boom
) aboard OneWorld Challenge, an America's Cup
yacht.
He won the 2003 Rolex
Miami Olympic Class Regatta, the Laser Pacific Coast Championships in Oregon
on the Columbia River
(coming in first out of 33 boats), and the Laser Gulf Coast Championships in Texas (coming in first out of 56 boats), and was named US Sailing
's 2003 United States Olympic Committee
Male Athlete of the Year. In 2003, Mendelblatt finished 6th in the Laser World Championships in Spain, out of 171 boats. For the year, he was ranked # 1 among US Laser sailors. Tim Landt, president of the International Laser Class Association, said Mendelblatt was "the total package", opining that: "He's got the perfect structure (6 feet 2, 180 pounds). He's got extremely muscular legs, and he's very lean and very tenacious, like Lance Armstrong
."
In 2004, he was fourth out of 96 boats at the Laser European Championship, sixth out of 58 Lasers at the Princess Sofia competition in Spain, and twelfth out of 159 Lasers at Hyeres Week in France. In May 2004, he won a silver medal at the Laser World Championships in Turkey, coming in 2nd out of 145 boats, behind Brazil's Scheidt.
He competed in the 2004 Olympics in Laser (Mixed One-Person Dinghy
) in Athens
, and placed eighth. US Sailing named him Athlete of the Year for the second time.
of Great Britain, and Michael Blackburn of Australia. That month, he also won the two-person racing keelboat
Star class
78th Bacardi Cup on Biscayne Bay
, with Mark Strube as crew. In June 2006, Mendelblatt and Strube won the 2006 Kiel Week in Germany, beating Scheidt and crewman Bruno Prada
. In August 2006, he and Strube won the Star European Championship over 93 boats in Neustadt
, Germany, again defeating second-place finishers Scheidt and Prada. Mendelblatt accepted a position in the fall of 2006 with Emirates Team New Zealand, and in April 2007 replaced injured veteran Adam Beashel
.
Mendelblatt and Strube won Kiel Week again in both 2008 and 2009. In 2010, Mendelblatt won the Miami Rolex OCR. In June 2011, he and Brian Fatih won the Star class medal race at the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta in Dorset
, England.
Laser (dinghy)
The International Laser Class sailboat, also called Laser Standard and the Laser One is a popular one-design class of small sailing dinghy. According the Laser Class Rules the boat may be sailed by either one or two people, though it is rarely sailed by two. The design, by Bruce Kirby, emphasizes...
, a one-design
One-design
One-Design is a racing method where all vehicles or boats have identical or very similar designs or models. It is also known as Spec series. It is heavily used in sailboat racing. All competitors in a race are then judged based on a single start time...
class of small (13 inch long, and 130 lb or 59 kg) single-handed sailing dinghy
Dinghy sailing
Dinghy sailing is the activity of sailing small boats by using five essential controls:* the sails* the foils ....
. Beginning in 2005, he also began racing the two-person racing keelboat
Keelboat
Keelboat has two distinct meanings related to two different types of boats: one a riverine cargo-capable working boat, and the other a classification for small- to mid-sized recreational sailing yachts.-Historical keel-boats:...
Star class
Star (sailboat)
The International Star is a 6.9 m one-design racing keelboat for two people.The boat must weigh at least 671 kg with a maximum total sail area of 26.5 m . It is sloop-rigged, with a mainsail larger in proportional size than any other boat of its length...
.
When he was 11 years old, he won the International Optimist Dinghy National Sailing Championships, and when he was 18, he won the Laser II World Championships. A three-time college All-American at Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
, he won a silver medal in the Laser at the 1999 Pan American Games
1999 Pan American Games
The 1999 Pan American Games, officially the XIII Pan American Games or the 13th Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event that was held from July 23-August 8, 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Approximately 5,000 athletes from 42 nations participated at the games. The 1999...
. In 2004, he won a silver medal at the Laser World Championships.
Early and personal life
Mendelblatt, who is Jewish, was born in St. Petersburg, FloridaSt. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
. His father, Frank, and his brother, David
David Mendelblatt
David J. Mendelblatt is an American yachtsman and ophthalmologist.He is a former Optimist Pram National Champion. He came in second in the Sunfish World Championship in 2006, third in 2009, and second again in 2010.-Personal life:...
(also a sailor), are ophthalmologists. His mother, Kathy, supervises their practice.
He attended St. Petersburg High School
St. Petersburg High School
St. Petersburg High School, founded in 1898, is a secondary school located in St. Petersburg, Florida. The school's current building, a historic landmark, was built in 1926 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The school was billed as the nation's first million dollar...
, helping its sailing team win four consecutive national titles, and graduated in 1991. He resides in St. Petersburg, and is a securities broker.
Early years
Mendelblatt began taking classes at the St. Petersburg Sailing Center when he was six years old, and started sailing competitively at age 10. In 1984, when he was 11 years old, he was the overall winner at the International Optimist Dinghy National Sailing Championships in Maryland, and also won the North American title. In 1985, he was part of a five-person U.S. Optimist Dinghy team, along with his brother David, that took third place in the 25th International Optimist World Championships in team racing in Finland. It was the best U.S. finish ever in dinghy racing. He also came in second in the Optimist Pram National Championship, behind his brother David.In 1989, at the age of 16, he teamed with his 19-year-old brother David to outrace 21 other entries and win the Laser II North American Championships in Maryland. In 1991, at the age of 18, he won the Laser II World Championships in England, competing against more than 180 adult competitors.
1991–95; College
In college, he was a three-time All-American in sailing (1992–94), and was named winner of the Clarence "Pop" Houston Award as Tufts UniversityTufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
Athlete of the Year in both 1993 and 1994. In 1993, he won the collegiate National Single-Handed Championship in Seattle, the New England Singlehanded Championship, and the New England Sloop Championship. In 1995 he won the Laser National Championships. He graduated Tufts in 1995, with a degree in Psychology.
1999–2004; Pan Am Games, World Championships, and Olympics
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
in the Laser at the 1999 Pan American Games
1999 Pan American Games
The 1999 Pan American Games, officially the XIII Pan American Games or the 13th Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event that was held from July 23-August 8, 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Approximately 5,000 athletes from 42 nations participated at the games. The 1999...
on Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg
Lake Winnipeg is a large, lake in central North America, in the province of Manitoba, Canada, with its southern tip about north of the city of Winnipeg...
, behind Brazil's Robert Scheidt
Robert Scheidt
Robert Scheidt is a renowned Brazilian sailor, having won two gold medals and two silver medals from four Olympic Games...
and ahead of Diego Romero
Diego Romero (sailor)
Diego Emilio Romero Paschetta is an Argentine-Italian sailor.He earned a bronze medal in Laser at the 1999 Pan American Games on Lake Winnipeg, behind Brazil's Robert Scheidt and Mark Mendelblatt of the United States.Romero competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics and 2004 Summer Olympics for Argentina...
of Argentina. That year he also won the Laser North American title, and the US Olympic Sailing Committee recognized him as Athlete of the Year.
In 2000, he came in 2nd out of 32 boats at the Laser Olympic Team Trials. The next year he won the 2001 Laser
Laser (dinghy)
The International Laser Class sailboat, also called Laser Standard and the Laser One is a popular one-design class of small sailing dinghy. According the Laser Class Rules the boat may be sailed by either one or two people, though it is rarely sailed by two. The design, by Bruce Kirby, emphasizes...
North American
North American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
Championships. From 2000–03, he was the "traveler" (working the control that moves the boom
Boom (sailing)
In sailing, a boom is a spar , along the foot of a fore and aft rigged sail, that greatly improves control of the angle and shape of the sail. The primary action of the boom is to keep the foot of the sail flatter when the sail angle is away from the centerline of the boat. The boom also serves...
) aboard OneWorld Challenge, an America's Cup
America's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...
yacht.
He won the 2003 Rolex
Rolex
Rolex SA is a Swiss watchmaking manufacturer of high-quality, luxury wristwatches. Rolex watches are popularly regarded as status symbols and BusinessWeek magazine ranks Rolex No.71 on its 2007 annual list of the 100 most valuable global brands...
Miami Olympic Class Regatta, the Laser Pacific Coast Championships in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
on the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
(coming in first out of 33 boats), and the Laser Gulf Coast Championships in Texas (coming in first out of 56 boats), and was named US Sailing
US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association, better known as US Sailing, is the governing body for the sport of sailing in the United States, particularly yacht, dinghy, windsurfing, and radio sailing racing...
's 2003 United States Olympic Committee
United States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various...
Male Athlete of the Year. In 2003, Mendelblatt finished 6th in the Laser World Championships in Spain, out of 171 boats. For the year, he was ranked # 1 among US Laser sailors. Tim Landt, president of the International Laser Class Association, said Mendelblatt was "the total package", opining that: "He's got the perfect structure (6 feet 2, 180 pounds). He's got extremely muscular legs, and he's very lean and very tenacious, like Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
."
In 2004, he was fourth out of 96 boats at the Laser European Championship, sixth out of 58 Lasers at the Princess Sofia competition in Spain, and twelfth out of 159 Lasers at Hyeres Week in France. In May 2004, he won a silver medal at the Laser World Championships in Turkey, coming in 2nd out of 145 boats, behind Brazil's Scheidt.
He competed in the 2004 Olympics in Laser (Mixed One-Person Dinghy
Dinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,...
) in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, and placed eighth. US Sailing named him Athlete of the Year for the second time.
2005–present
In March 2005, he was ranked 4th in the world in the Laser, behind Scheidt, Paul GoodisonPaul Goodison
Paul Martin Goodison MBE is an English sailor.In March 2005, he was ranked 2nd in the world in the Laser, behind Robert Scheidt of Brazil, and ahead of Michael Blackburn of Australia and Mark Mendelblatt of the United States.He won the gold medal in the Men's Laser class at the 2008 Summer Olympics...
of Great Britain, and Michael Blackburn of Australia. That month, he also won the two-person racing keelboat
Keelboat
Keelboat has two distinct meanings related to two different types of boats: one a riverine cargo-capable working boat, and the other a classification for small- to mid-sized recreational sailing yachts.-Historical keel-boats:...
Star class
Star (sailboat)
The International Star is a 6.9 m one-design racing keelboat for two people.The boat must weigh at least 671 kg with a maximum total sail area of 26.5 m . It is sloop-rigged, with a mainsail larger in proportional size than any other boat of its length...
78th Bacardi Cup on Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay is a lagoon that is approximately 35 miles long and up to 8 miles wide located on the Atlantic coast of South Florida, United States. It is usually divided for purposes of discussion and analysis into three parts: North Bay, Central Bay, and South Bay. Its area is...
, with Mark Strube as crew. In June 2006, Mendelblatt and Strube won the 2006 Kiel Week in Germany, beating Scheidt and crewman Bruno Prada
Bruno Prada
Bruno Prada is a Brazilian sailor.In June 2006, he and Brazilian Robert Scheidt won the silver medal in the two-person racing keelboat Star Class at the 2006 Kiel Week in Germany, behind American Mark Mendelblatt and crewman Mark Strube...
. In August 2006, he and Strube won the Star European Championship over 93 boats in Neustadt
Neustadt
- Germany :* in Baden-Württemberg:** Titisee-Neustadt, a town in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald* in Bavaria:** Bad Neustadt an der Saale, the capital of the Rhön-Grabfeld district...
, Germany, again defeating second-place finishers Scheidt and Prada. Mendelblatt accepted a position in the fall of 2006 with Emirates Team New Zealand, and in April 2007 replaced injured veteran Adam Beashel
Adam Beashel
Adam Beashel is an Australian sailor. He is best known for being part of Team New Zealand at the 2003 America's Cup and strategist for Emirates Team New Zealand at the 2007 America's Cup.He is also a 49er sailor...
.
Mendelblatt and Strube won Kiel Week again in both 2008 and 2009. In 2010, Mendelblatt won the Miami Rolex OCR. In June 2011, he and Brian Fatih won the Star class medal race at the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England.