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Tuesday, June 27, 2000
Sailing away
Battles in seas around the world
By Pat Bigold
pay off for John Myrdal, who
will compete for the U.S.
in the Laser class
Star-BulletinHEN John Myrdal enters a Laser class sailing event, he goes to war.
Not just with his rivals on the course, but against his own 13 1/2-foot boat.
"These boats are very physical," said the powerfully built 6-foot-4, 185-pound Kailua sailor.
"Since we don't have keels or ballasts on the boat, you have to provide the ballast with your strength and endurance."
Myrdal chuckles.
"It pretty much eliminates the stereotype of yachting and sailing," he said.
"We always fight the stereotype that it's somebody holding a beer can in one hand and just kind of riding around on a sailboat, not expending much energy."
Myrdal qualified for the Olympics in Sydney during eight-day trials in April on cold, rainy, choppy San Francisco Bay.
John Myrdal OLYMPIC PROFILE
Age: 27
It was one of the most demanding courses he's ever tackled, and that can't hurt his preparation for Sydney.
Nor can his experiences on waters like the Persian Gulf, Lake Ontario and an unforgiving man-made bay in Holland.
"We had winds in excess of 45 to 50 knots there," Myrdal said. "You just couldn't compete in that and they ended up cancelling a good portion of the regatta. People were flipping over, left and right."
But the adversity of Laser racing authenticates the athletic nature of the sport. That's something Myrdal never ceases to emphasize.
"You have to keep your body in pretty good shape," he said.
"To provide stability and direction, we use a technique called 'hiking.' You lean your body out over the edge and you maintain a horizontal position off the rail.
"It requires a lot of leg strength, and you have to hold this position for hours on end. It's like an endless sit-up."
In the 1996 Olympic trials, Myrdal finished fourth and it dawned on him. He could medal at the Olympics if he dedicated himself to the Laser.
"After 1996, deep down I knew this was the kind of sport in which you gain experience over time," he said.In 1998 in a Sydney competition, Myrdal put himself into the medal picture by finishing right behind the Atlanta Games gold (Robert Scheidt of Brazil) and silver medalists (Ben Ainsley of England).
He developed a love for the feel of saltwater in his face when he was riding on his father's Cal 20 in Kaneohe Bay at age 4.
By the time he was 9, he was competing in an 8-foot dinghy called the El Toro. He won the El Toro National Championships when he was a sophomore in high school.
At 17, he moved up to the Laser.
"It was more of a high-performance boat and it certainly was a lot more fun and faster than the El Toro," Myrdal said.
The Laser's top speed is between 16 and 18 knots while the El Toro would max out at 3 to 4 knots.
An All-American sailing career at the University of Hawaii catapulted him into international competition.
In the past four to six years, Myrdal has had to budget close to $200,000 to compete internationally.
"Our organization (USA Canoe/Kayak) doesn't really provide much financially," Myrdal said. "It's up to us to solicit funds to make it work for us."
His wife, Danielle Brennan, who finished fifth in the Europe class trials, has become his chief fund-raiser.
"She saved my butt, basically," said Myrdal, who no longer has much time to solicit.
"Ultimately you do it for the passion, you do it for the love, and you have your eyes set on the ultimate prize," he said. "That's the driving force through it all."
