Eric Mergenthaler

Eric Mergenthaler was one of Mexico’s finest sailors and was outstanding in the Finn class. When he won the 1992 Finn World Championship at Cádiz, Spain, he became the first Mexican to win the title and, at the time of his death, remained the only one to do so.

Mergenthaler came close to also lifting the Finn Gold Cup in 1989 and 1990 with silver and bronze medals respectively. He also won a silver at the 1988 European Championships in Medemblik, Netherlands, and bronze at the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana. He also competed in three Olympics between 1984-92, with a 13th place at Seoul being his best finish.

After the Barcelona Olympics, Mergenthaler quit the sport competitively to embark on a successful business career and was, amongst others, managing director of the commercial innovation company Active International Mexico. He maintained his fitness levels by regularly running, cycling, swimming and, of course, sailing, Sadly, it was the love of one of those pastimes that claimed Mergenthaler’s life in April 2020. Whilst out cycling with a group of friends at Vale de Bravo, Mexico, he had an accident and suffered head injuries. He underwent an operation but remained in a coma for just over two days before passing away at the age of 56. His brother Hermann was a fellow-Olympian in 1984.