In the world of sailing, Eric Jespersen and Ross Macdonald are well-recognized names both locally and internationally. The pair joined forces in 1991 and won bronze at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona a year later.
In 1994, Macdonald and Jespersen outraced 97 boats from 22 countries at the star class world championship to win Canada’s first world yachting championship in any class since 1991.
They were the first all-Canadian team to win the star class world championship in the history of the class and the first crew from British Columbia to win a world championship title in thirty years. Their enormous accomplishments resulted in the duo being named male athletes of the year by the Canadian Yachting Association.
Macdonald and Jespersen had another fantastic season in 1995, winning an impressive four international events. They continued their winning form with a fourth-place finish at the Kiel Week Regatta and a second-place finish at the Miami Olympic Classes Regatta in the same year.
In 1996, they won the Olympic Trials held in Vancouver and were ranked second in the world by the World Sailing Rankings. They capped their winning ways that year by placing first in the Alamitos Bay Olympic Classes Regatta.
Team Members:
Eric Jespersen, Ross Macdonald.