"Doing what he loved..."
Surfing’s 2024 has gotten off to a macabre start. Pipeline, always fierce though never so surgical, has brought five notable surfers low in the past handful of weeks. A shark attack in Maui cut down a 39-year-old surfer. Another, in Western Australia, ending the young life of a 15-year-old.
And now we have the tragic news coming out of Santa Cruz that local Bay Area swim coach, and former United States Olympic swimmer, Richard Thorton died yesterday right before paddling The Hook, a playful right hander north-ish of Capitola.
Marc Thornton, Richard’s younger brother, took to Facebook writing, “Sorry for having to share this information, but Richard Thornton passed away surfing today at The Hook in Santa Cruz. Doing what he loved. More to follow but wanted to let everyone know.”
In speaking with the local Bay Area NBC affiliate, Marc said that his brother died on the beach before paddling out.
Both are sons of Nort Thornton, an absolute legend in swimming circles who coached UC Berkley’s Golden Bears to 48 individual NCAA championships over a thirty-plus year career. Richard, following in his father’s footsteps, was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic swim team, though didn’t get to compete due the U.S. boycott, and a legendary coach in his own right, heading up San Ramon Valley Aquatics since graduating from Berkley in 1984.
He was named Pacific Swimming Coach of the Year in 2000.
Commented on Disqus? Log out, tap the Disqus button, and your old name and comments come back. The box is ours.
Your comments are still here. Every one of them.
Twelve years of BeachGrit comments came across from Disqus. Connect and we will show you how many are yours. We get your username, nothing else.
Connect Disqus to reveal.
just died suddenly i guess.
poor guy. RIP.
Waaaaaay too common these last couple of years.
Rich was a good man. About the best swimmer one can be. Always stoked to talk surf and get wet. Family man. Outstanding swim coach. Nice person. Glad he went with some of his last thoughts around where he would take off, heading out with his brother. Net wave is for you.
Ho brah dat makes me sad but brah da shootout is going off da richtah!!
Could be worse places to pass-on…RIP.
Rest in Power, and fuck communism
Watch out, Zeke Shithead-ly might get pissed that you named the Hook. It has its own parking lot and is right on the curve of one of the most surf traveled streets in Capitola/Santa Cruz so must be a secret much like Horseshoe.
It’s all good as long as those uppity west siders in their 2 million dollar homes don’t try to surf here. Our east side homes are only worth 1.5 million!