Olympics, Ahoy

Loved the Avery Brundage piece. Those of us who were aspiring Olympic sailing athletes grew to hate the guy.

I was involved in two Olympic sailing campaigns, starting in 1976 and ending in the fiasco of 1980 when my partner and I were first in the U.S. in the Flying Dutchman class only to have President Carter cancel U.S. participation in the 1980 games. So much for my Olympic dreams.

Throughout our campaigns, we would travel all around the country and to the World Championship in Kiel, Germany. Virtually all of our major competitors, primarily in Europe, were either members of their respective military and or were completely supported by their countries. This was a huge advantage as moving a sailboat, even one as small as a Flying Dutchman, was expensive. In the U.S., thanks to Brundage’s legacy we had to fend for ourselves like the “True Olympians” he envisioned.

Thanks Avery.