At 91, Still Racing After All These Years

© Herb McCormick

At 91, Jack Sutphen, who served as Dennis Conner's sparring partner for multiple America's Cup campaigns, is still going strong.

    
On a visit to San Diego last month to do a print story for Sailing World on Dennis Conner, I had the chance to sit down with Sutphen for a long lunch to discuss his unique relationship with the legendary Cup skipper-as the helmsmen for the alternate boat in Conner's two-boat programs, for many years he served as his sparring partner on a daily basis-and his own long and noteworthy sailing career, which happens to be ongoing. The week before my trip, Sutphen had nabbed a third in a 14-boat PC fleet, coming up short behind the class's reigning world champ and some guy named Vince Brun.
    
Too bad for the other guys: "It's kind of embarrassing when a 91-year-old beats you," said Sutphen, with a well-earned smile.
    
As a youngster, sailing took a seat behind hockey, his first sporting love. He matriculated to Williams College and captained the freshman squad, but then World War II came along and he found himself in command of an 85-foot air/sea rescue boat for the Army Air Corps, a tour of duty mostly spent in the Gulf of Mexico. By that time he was also a married man, to Jean, whom he'd first laid eyes upon when she was winning every race at a swimming meet-"in a silk bathing suit," Jack is quick to remember-at the age of 15. Their marriage lasted 61 years and produced two children.
    
Jean's gone now, but Jack's still going strong. He even has a girlfriend. Well, sort of. "At 91, they're not really girlfriends anymore," he said. "They're associates."