Gary Jobson (Olympics)

Gary Jobson will provide commentary for the sailing competition during NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Paris Olympics, marking his fourth Olympic assignment as a commentator with NBCU. Jobson has also covered four Olympic Games serving as a producer.

Jobson competed in two U.S. Olympic Sailing Trials and won numerous sailing championships in one-design classes, including the 1977 America’s Cup as a tactician for Ted Turner’s Courageous crew. He was an All-American collegiate sailor three times and was twice names College Sailor of the Year (1972, 1973). He later became the sailing coach at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and US Naval Academy. In 1977, he was tactician for Ted Turner’s Courageous crew during the team’s successful defense of the Cup against Australia. Jobson also competed in the Fastnet Race and in numerous open-ocean races.

In 1988 he won an Emmy Award as a producer for NBC’s coverage of yacht racing at the Seoul Olympics. He also was the narrator of the official International Olympic Committee sailing film from the 1996 Atlanta Games.

Jobson, who served on the U.S. Olympic Committee from 1976 to 1980, has also been a member of the U.S. Sailing Committee since 2000. Additionally, he has served as Editor-at-Large of Sailing World and Cruising World Magazines and has authored 13 books on the sport. Jobson is the national chairman of the U.S. Sailing Regatta program, which raises money for charity through sailing competitions around the country. He also volunteers for leukemia-related charities. In 1999, Jobson was awarded the Nathanael G. Herreshoff Trophy, U.S. Sailing’s most prestigious award given annually to an individual who has played a pivotal role in the sport in the United States.