Nick Scandone
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Salvatore "Nick" Scandone (March 4, 1966 – January 2, 2009) was an American
yachtsman who narrowly missed participating on the U.S. team at the 1992 Summer Olympics
and won a gold medal as a paralympian
at the 2008 Summer Games
.
and learned to sail in an eight-foot Sabot
dinghy
at the Balboa Yacht Club in California. He started sailing when he was eight-years old, after being given the choice by his mother to learn to sail or attend summer school. He attended the University of California, Irvine
, where he was an All-American and won a national championship in 1988 and graduated in 1990.
In 1991, he won the National American title in the double-handed 470
class. Described by The New York Times
as "a rising star in the sailing world in the 1980s and '90s", Scandone entered the 1992 Olympic trials as the favorite in 470 class but just missed earning a berth on the United States Olympic squad.
Following the disappointment in 1992, Scandone began working in the advertising profession and later became a restaurant equipment salesman.
, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. He quit his job and began training for the Paralympic Games
in the single-handed 2.4 Meter
keelboat
, a craft that has been considered ideal for handicap integrated sailing since the sailor does not move in the boat, and everything is adjustable from right in front of the sailor, with both hand-steering and foot-steering possible.
By 2005, Scandone was participating as a Classification 7, under a system in which a Paralympic sailor's mobility is rated from 1 to 7, with the lowest number representing the most severe level of disability. He won the 2005 Open World Championships in the 2.4 Meter class in a regatta off the coast of Elba
, Italy
, defeating 87 other boats skippered by 60 able-bodied and 27 other disabled sailors, and was named as US Sailing
's Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, making him the only Paralympic sailor ever to achieve the honor. However, by the end of 2006, his condition had advanced to the point where he was physically unable to participate in the 2.4-Meter class, which specifies single-handed operation, and was approaching Classification 1 status.
Scandone switched to the SKUD 18
class, a newly-added Paralympic event for Classification 1 sailors that was the first Paralympic class to specify a quadriplegic member participating in the two-person crew. Together with crewmate Maureen McKinnon-Tucker
, a paraplegic from Marblehead, Massachusetts
, he won the Gold medal at the U.S. Paralympic trials in 2007 held off of Newport, Rhode Island
.
Heading towards the 2008 Summer Paralympics
in China
in 2008, Scandone's physical condition deteriorated further. His coaches had to modify the steering and seat systems, and had to change the electronic controls from toggles to buttons to accommodate the weakening of his fingers.
He was chosen by his fellow members of the 2008 United States Paralympics Team
with the honor of being the flag bearer for the U.S. team at the opening ceremonies of the Paralympic Games in Beijing
. Scandone and McKinnon-Tucker won most of their early races, but Scandone required feeding and hydration between races, sometimes intravenously. As the team had won most of their races, they did not have to compete on the final day of competition and won the gold medal in what was described as "dominating fashion". Scandone was nominated for the 2008 Yachtsman of the Year award for his gold-medal performance.
Before his death, he helped promote the Maritime Sciences and Seamanship Foundation at Balboa Yacht Club, a program that he created to encourage disabled sailors to participate in the sport.
Scandone died January 2, 2009 at his home in Fountain Valley, California
aged 42.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
yachtsman who narrowly missed participating on the U.S. team at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
and won a gold medal as a paralympian
Paralympian
A Paralympian is an athlete who has participated in the Paralympic Games.A Paralympic athlete has a physical disability. The disability can be amputation, spinal cord injuries, visual impairment or cerebral palsy. An exception is the sighted guides for athletes with a visual impairment...
at the 2008 Summer Games
2008 Summer Paralympics
The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the thirteenth Paralympics, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to September 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao....
.
Biography
Scandone was born on March 4, 1966, in Santa Ana, CaliforniaSanta Ana, California
Santa Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States....
and learned to sail in an eight-foot Sabot
Sabot (dinghy)
The Sabot is a sailing dinghy that is sailed and raced singlehandedly usually by young sailors in various places around the world.It is a hard-chine pram 8 feet in length with a maximum width of 3'11" . The Sabot is equipped with a dagger board and a 36 square-foot Bermuda-rigged sail...
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,...
at the Balboa Yacht Club in California. He started sailing when he was eight-years old, after being given the choice by his mother to learn to sail or attend summer school. He attended the University of California, Irvine
University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
, where he was an All-American and won a national championship in 1988 and graduated in 1990.
In 1991, he won the National American title in the double-handed 470
470 (dinghy)
The 470 is a double-handed monohull planing dinghy with a centreboard, Bermuda rig, and centre sheeting. The name is the overall length of the boat in centimetres . The hull is fibreglass with integral buoyancy tanks. The 470 is equipped with spinnaker and trapeze, making teamwork necessary to...
class. Described by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
as "a rising star in the sailing world in the 1980s and '90s", Scandone entered the 1992 Olympic trials as the favorite in 470 class but just missed earning a berth on the United States Olympic squad.
Following the disappointment in 1992, Scandone began working in the advertising profession and later became a restaurant equipment salesman.
Paralympic sailing
In July 2002, a doctor diagnosed what had started as chronic back pain as being caused by amyotrophic lateral sclerosisAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis , also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a form of motor neuron disease caused by the degeneration of upper and lower neurons, located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord and the cortical neurons that provide their efferent input...
, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. He quit his job and began training for the Paralympic Games
Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are a major international multi-sport event where athletes with a physical disability compete; this includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which are held immediately following their...
in the single-handed 2.4 Meter
2.4 Metre (keelboat)
The International 2.4mR is a one-person keelboat. The class is a development class governed by the 2.4mR rule. The rule is controlled by the International Sailing Federation since it is one of few classes designated as an International class...
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:...
, a craft that has been considered ideal for handicap integrated sailing since the sailor does not move in the boat, and everything is adjustable from right in front of the sailor, with both hand-steering and foot-steering possible.
By 2005, Scandone was participating as a Classification 7, under a system in which a Paralympic sailor's mobility is rated from 1 to 7, with the lowest number representing the most severe level of disability. He won the 2005 Open World Championships in the 2.4 Meter class in a regatta off the coast of Elba
Elba
Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino. The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is also part of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, defeating 87 other boats skippered by 60 able-bodied and 27 other disabled sailors, and was named as 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 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, making him the only Paralympic sailor ever to achieve the honor. However, by the end of 2006, his condition had advanced to the point where he was physically unable to participate in the 2.4-Meter class, which specifies single-handed operation, and was approaching Classification 1 status.
Scandone switched to the SKUD 18
SKUD 18
The SKUD 18 is a class of racing sailing boat. It is a lead-assisted skiff with a tube-launched asymmetrical and a modern high performance stayed rig...
class, a newly-added Paralympic event for Classification 1 sailors that was the first Paralympic class to specify a quadriplegic member participating in the two-person crew. Together with crewmate Maureen McKinnon-Tucker
Maureen McKinnon-Tucker
Maureen McKinnon-Tucker is an American paralympian yachtswoman. In 2008 in Beijing she became the first woman to represent the United States in sailing at a Paralympic Games...
, a paraplegic from Marblehead, Massachusetts
Marblehead, Massachusetts
Marblehead is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 19,808 at the 2010 census. It is home to the Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary and Devereux Beach...
, he won the Gold medal at the U.S. Paralympic trials in 2007 held off of Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
.
Heading towards the 2008 Summer Paralympics
2008 Summer Paralympics
The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the thirteenth Paralympics, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to September 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao....
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in 2008, Scandone's physical condition deteriorated further. His coaches had to modify the steering and seat systems, and had to change the electronic controls from toggles to buttons to accommodate the weakening of his fingers.
He was chosen by his fellow members of the 2008 United States Paralympics Team
United States at the 2008 Summer Paralympics
The United States sent a delegation to compete at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China. A total of 213 U.S. competitors took part in 18 sports; the only 2 sports Americans did not compete in were soccer 5-a-side and 7-a-side. The American delegation included 16 former members of the U.S....
with the honor of being the flag bearer for the U.S. team at the opening ceremonies of the Paralympic Games in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. Scandone and McKinnon-Tucker won most of their early races, but Scandone required feeding and hydration between races, sometimes intravenously. As the team had won most of their races, they did not have to compete on the final day of competition and won the gold medal in what was described as "dominating fashion". Scandone was nominated for the 2008 Yachtsman of the Year award for his gold-medal performance.
Before his death, he helped promote the Maritime Sciences and Seamanship Foundation at Balboa Yacht Club, a program that he created to encourage disabled sailors to participate in the sport.
Scandone died January 2, 2009 at his home in Fountain Valley, California
Fountain Valley, California
Fountain Valley is a city in Orange County, California. The population was 55,313 at the 2010 census. A classic bedroom community, Fountain Valley is a middle-class residential area.- History :...
aged 42.