Bruce Kendall Windsurfing Olympics - Part 1 The course to Los Angeles

by Bruce Kendall on 28 Oct 2015 Olympic Gold and Bronze medalist, windsurfer Bruce Kendall tells how he was attracted to the sport and his early success

As an active international sailing coach people often ask me about the past Olympics and what it took to get there. There were good times and there were many hurdles along the way. Those questions inspired me to write about it, this the first article.

In the beginning:

Windsurfing was first included as a sailing class in the Olympics in 1984 at the Los Angeles Games. I was there representing New Zealand. For those who know my sister Barbara her first time competing at the Olympics was 8 years later at Barcelona, which was my last.

The equipment was so simple then:

It was decided in 1983 by an international committee that the board and rig to be used at the LA Olympics would be the “Wind Glider”. By today’s standard a very simple setup – it was a flat bottom board, fixed mast, 6.5sqm rig and a dagger board that was pulled out and strung over the shoulder for downwind. As a comparison the set up today (the RS:X) includes a far more stable 9.5sqm rig and a board designed to get on the plane quickly. Plus unlike every Olympics since, in 1984 the rules stated no pumping of the sail and we weren’t allowed the use of a harness during the race of seven leagues, each 1 nautical mile. Seven races, one race per day.

NZ Olympic athletes have to prove to NZOC they are capable of winning an Olympic medal in their respective sport by finishing in the top 10 countries at world events leading up to the games, the same for all sports. At the time this was a tough hurdle for us considering we were up against well-funded international teams of full time sailors, professionally supported with coaches.

The course I sailed to get to LA:

You would say I had far greater than normal exposure to sailing from a very early age.

At less than one week old my parents Tony and Peggy had me on the family yacht for the weekend. At the age of 7 I sailed a small tender from Rakino Island to Bucklands Beach in the inner Hauraki Gulf. As a child I spent many hours on the water doing much racing, my favourite boats being fast and normally sensitive to body weight and sailors actions. But of course, as did many of the sailors at the time, I did my necessary hours and racing time in the highly competitive “P” Class for youth. During my early years I learned many skills that would serve me well for the rest of my sailing life.

Many of the sailors at that time who I raced against have gone on to achieve high levels in America’s Cup, off shore and Olympic Class racing.

I learned to windsurf at the age of 14 years. My parents noted my interest and bought me a locally made flat bottom board called a “Superstar”. Although I ventured into other sailing classes over the following years my real passion continued to be the windsurfer. You know how they say that many hours of practice is required to become expert. I guess my time for that was when I sailed along with our family boat from Auckland to Tauranga and back at the age of 17.

Then in 1982 began the campaign to be the selected sailor to represent NZ at LA. Following my long sail to Tauranga and back I was able to dominate the 1982 NZ Olympic Class selection regatta with a “gun” on all races. Close behind me was Grant Beck and he and I went to LA to the 1982 pre-Olympic regatta (at the actual venue to be in 1984), me getting 19th and him 29th.

We had to improve and in 1983 we both qualified again for the LA pre-Olympic regatta representing NZ sailors. This time I finished eighth overall and sixth country. Later that year at the Wind Glider worlds in Bermuda I finished seventh overall and fifth nation. The NZ birth at the Olympics was assured and I knew I had a great shot at an Olympic medal should I be the NZ athlete selected.

The 1984 NZ Olympic trials was to select NZ’s first Olympic contestant in the class. It was a tough battle between me and Grant and I came out on top. I was selected to go to LA but Grant was not able to travel with me. A good sailing friend, Steve Macris could so he became my training partner in LA.

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The racing at LA:

In steady sea breeze conditions inside the break water and between the oil islands at Long Beach the racing was staged. At the first ever Olympic Games for windsurfing NZ secured a bronze medal. Few know that could have been silver or even gold. During a key moment in the racing the French Sailor collided with me after I tacked. In the protest room he lied and I was disqualified. I had bronze and learnt some tough lessons. I did note at this time I was often the fastest sailor on the course but lacked international experience.

After LA:

The bronze medal allowed me to become a full time windsurfer sponsored by the industry. I was able to follow the international circuit in most windsurfing disciplines, often competing for prize money.

My younger sister Barbara switched her sailing discipline to windsurfing following my result in LA. From 1986 we travelled the world and often together competing at the same events.

For me 1986 was special as it was also the year I met Graeme Robertson while doing a promotional tour for windsurfing, this time in Napier, NZ. Our travelling windsurf crew was doing demos on a windy day and this man approached us with sunscreen he had invented for his own blue water yachting lifestyle. I have used that sunscreen almost exclusively ever since because after just one application in the morning it didn’t wash off all day and, it didn’t sting my eyes.

Plus travelling summer to summer and spending long hours in and on the water it was important to me that not only could I rely on it to work, the screen had no “nasties” in it. This screen doesn’t even have preservatives as it doesn’t need to. These days it is branded InSunsports and you can easily get it online no matter where you are in the world.

Also significant about 1986. It was ‘half way’ to the next Olympic Games in Seoul. I was getting stronger and more determined to win silver or gold. Look out for my next article here in a few weeks from now.

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