On Thursday, Richard Thornton, a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic swim team and the longtime head coach of San Ramon Valley Aquatics, died while at The Hook Vista Point in Santa Cruz. He was 65.
In a Facebook post on Thursday morning, Thornton’s younger brother Marc confirmed his brother’s passing.
“My father died while stepping into the water having just finished catching up with some surf buddies and the cause of death is still unknown at this time,” Kira Thornton, daughter of Richard Thornton, said in an email.
Over the past week, Santa Cruz County has experienced huge swells from recent storms, causing damage to businesses and structures along the coastline. On Dec. 30, the Santa Cruz Fire Department executed almost a dozen water rescues for surfers caught in rip currents.
Thornton’s family has a long history with swimming: his father was the late Nort Thornton, the longtime head men’s swimming coach at University of California, Berkeley.
In 1980, the junior Thornton was one of 45 Americans named to the U.S. Olympic swim team. He would go on to help found San Ramon Valley Aquatics, known throughout the country as a first-class swim program. He coached numerous Olympic and world championship finalists, including legendary American swimmer Matt Biondi, who was a member of the U.S. Olympic teams in 1984, 1988, and 1992.
This story was updated on Jan. 5 at 12:00 p.m.
Thank you for the inaccurate report on my husband’s passing. To be clear, he did not die due to the large waves – he was just stepping into the water when he passed. The cause of death is still unknown. While an avid surfer, his death had NOTHING to due with him actually surfing. Next time check your facts
Rip