Paul HENDERSON

Paul Henderson was a sailor who competed in two Olympics for Canada, 1964 and 1968. He qualified for the 1980 Olympics but Canada boycotted those Games. Henderson was 1959 World Champion in the International 14 class, and won multiple international titles in various types of boats in the 1960s and 70s. He won three North American titles – 1963 in Flying Dutchman, 1966 in Finn Monotype, and 1970 in Fireball, as well five US titles – 1957/1959 International 14, 1967 in Finn Monotype, and 1970 in both 470 and Flying Dutchman. His other major sailing titles included the 1958 Princess Elizabeth Trophy in Bermuda, and the 1962 Prince Bernhard Trophy won in the Netherlands.

Henderson entered sailing administration in the early 1970s when he was asked to advise on the sailing venues for the 1976 Montréal Olympics. He became Vice-President of the ISAF (International Sailing Federation) in 1978 (then known as the International Yacht Racing Union [IYRU]), serving in that role until 1994, when he became President through 2004. He was made an IOC Member in 2000 in his role as ISAF President and served until he stepped down as President. He served on the IOC Sports and Environmental Commission and Women and Sport Commission. Paul Henderson studied at the University of Toronto, earning an engineering degree, and later ran R. G. Henderson & Son, a restaurant maintenance and repair business.