Glen Foster was a leader in collegiate sailing, an Olympic sailor, and a major contributor in promoting one-design sailing in the U.S.

Foster provided inspirational leadership in intercollegiate sailing, so much so that the national singlehanded championship bears his name (see the trophy with his image in sailing togs in the ICYRA Hall of Fame in the Robert Crown Center at the United States Naval Academy). Glen sailed for Brown University skippering its team to victory in the McMillan Cup at the Naval Academy.

On Glen’s first foray into Olympic competition, he placed second in the U.S. trials in the Dragon Class while in the armed forces. In 1972, he won an Olympic bronze medal in the Tempest Class, and was one of the last bona fide “amateurs” in Olympic sailing since he had a full-time job as a specialist on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange leaving only a couple of weeks free for training for the Games. In the Dragon Class, he represented the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club challenge to recoup its match racing trophy (second oldest after the America’s Cup trophy match racing trophy) from the Tasmanians.

Glen’s first major contribution to enlarging the sailing platform in North America was to introduce the Olympic Finn Class. He and others were concerned that there were too few Olympic classes on this side of the Atlantic so that our teams lacked the intense competition enjoyed by countries across the Pond. Further, he and Harry Anderson formed the USA Finn Association serving as President and Secretary to generate fleets from coast to coast.

Glen’s competitive spirit was a stimulus to the Dragon Class in which he competed internationally, winning among others the Duke of Edinburgh’s Cup. Likewise, he injected fresh blood into the 6-metre class in which activity in the U.S. was dwindling, and for a term became President with Harry Anderson as Secretary. He campaigned Sixes in European waters and 8-metres in Toronto and Scandinavia.

Glen later campaigned in the 5.5-metre class winning three Scandinavian Gold Cups, a European Championship and, in 1997, the World Championship. In the International 14 class, he won the Princess Elizabeth Cup, second most prestigious after the Prince of Wales Trophy. He raced extensively in the 12-metre class, advised U.S. contenders trying out to become defenders, and was tactician for Gordon Ingate on Gretel in the 1987 World Championships off Fremantle, Australia.

Accomplishments and Awards
• 1972 Olympic Bronze Medal in Tempest Class
• Cofounder of USA Finn Association
• World Champion in 5.5-metre class, three time Scandinavian Gold Cup winner
• Princess Elizabeth Cup winner in International 14-foot class
• Member, Intercollegiate Sailing Hall of Fame
• Member, Brown University Athletics Hall of Fame
• Past president, 6-metre Class
• Board of Directors of Herreshoff Museum/America’s Cup Hall of Fame
• During his lifetime, amassed what is considered the finest collection of British and American yachting and marine art
• Afterguard of the NYYC Young America Challenge for 2000 America’s Cup
• Second place in U.S. Olympic Trials, Dragon Class while in the armed forces
• The ICYRA National Singlehanded Championship Trophy bears his name