Star Class Honoring the Past, Leading the Future
It is with a very sad heart we report the passing yesterday evening of Ding Schoonmaker, one of the sport’s greats. Ding was a visionary and passionate advocate for sailing as well as a massively successful sailor. His contribution to the sport has been immense and multi-faceted, with Ding always giving his time to help sailors, generously supporting a project or voluntarily serving the sport in numerous official capacities.
Ding was instrumental in maintaining the tradition of the Bacardi Cup, as after many successful years political unrest brought an end to the Bacardi Cup in Cuba. We owe it to the special friendship between Ding, Tito Argamasilla Bacardi and Frank Zagarino who together brought the Bacardi Cup to Miami in 1962, saving a unique and special event. Ding excelled in the Star Class, winning multiple World, Continental and regional Championships and became a seven-time Bacardi Cup title holder. He was also a Life member of the Star Class, was awarded the Nathanael Greene Herreshoff Award, US Sailing’s highest honor, in 1988 and the Beppe Croce Award, World Sailing’s highest honor, in 2011.
Ding held various official positions within the Star Class including: Promotion Committee Chair, Olympic Committee, 2nd Vice President for North America (1980-85), Member of the IGC (1984-1986), 1st Vice President for North America (1986), member of the CMC (1987-1998 and Vice President for the Western Hemisphere (1987-1998).
Ding was an exceptionally special man and friend whose legacy runs deep and will continue to make a difference to sailing for many generations to come. The Star Class and the Bacardi Cup family sends our deepest condolences to Ding’s wife Treecie and their family and friends.
