Mark Bryant has covered wide areas of one design sailing. He learned to sail on Lake Erie in Buffalo racing Lightnings and J 24s among other local one design boats. He quickly understood the role of technology in helping good sailors improve their game, working on mast innovations and rigging changes that became the norm in the classes he raced. He became interested in the effect of tide and current on racing sailors and has conducted the most advanced studies in southern Florida among other sites. As his racing matured, he learned that he has the debilitating disease MS and he turned his attention to improving racing conditions for disabled sailors.
Few sailors are named Sailor of the Century by the Buffalo Canoe Club, but Mark achieved this honor in 1988. He was named a legend in the International Lightning Class in 2006. Among Mark’s racing achievements are 5th in the 1985 Lightning Worlds and winner of the 1984, 1980 and 1978 (as crew) Lightning North American Championships, 1982 Lightning South American Championship, and 1976 Lightning North American Junior Championship. He won Boat of the Year in the Holland 40 in Chicago in 1989 and Boat of the Year in Buffalo in the J 24 in 1988.
In disabled sailing, Mark led a field of talented and committed racers at the 2.4 Meter Paralympic Trials for the 2008 Games in China, losing the right to represent the US by one point. He placed 14th at the IFDS Worlds in Rochester in 2007 and 3rd in the Midwinters in St Petersburg FL in 2008. He continues racing actively, coaching the most talented disabled sailors and providing weather insight to racing sailors around the country.