Maureen McKinnon

Personal

McKinnon learned to sail when she was 20. In 1995, she fell 13 feet off a seawall while on vacation in Maine and became paralyzed. After her accident, she tried racing again but the J/24s she once sailed were too challenging and the Freedom 20s designed for individuals with disabilities were too tame. She gave up sailing for a while, until a chance meeting with Paralympic skipper Rick Doerr, who invited her aboard his triple-handed Sonar as crew. She made the 2008 U.S. Paralympic Team in the SKUD-18 and has found success once again in 2016 with new skipper, Ryan Porteous....Daughter of Bruce and Rosemary McKinnon… Has one daughter, Dana, and one son, Trent…Daughter Dana also has Sailing in her blood, competing for her high school team…Served on the US Sailing Board of Directors for five years…Hobbies include kayaking, skiing, hand cycling, camping and baking.

Paralympic Experience

• 2-time Paralympian; 1-time Paralympic medalist (1 gold)
• Paralympic Games Rio de Janeiro 2016, 5th (Two-Person Keelboat - Mixed)
• Paralympic Games Qingdao 2008, gold (Two-Person Keelboat - Mixed)

World Championship Experience

• Most recent: 2023 – 12th (Two-Person Keelboat - Open)
• Years of participation: Two-Person Keelboat - Open 2023; Two-Person Keelboat - Mixed 2007, 2013, 2015, 2016; Three-Person Keelboat - Mixed 2012
• Medals: 1 (1 silver)
• Silver – 2007 (Two-Person Keelboat - Mixed)

More

U.S. Sailing