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70 Sports Oakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 255) Fax 905-337-5567 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com · SATURDAY, JULY 26, 2008 GOOD LUCK, GUYS: Some of the Oakville Yacht Squadron's young sailors present local sailor Oskar Johansson (left) and teammate Kevin Stittle (right) with a good-luck banner as Johansson and Stittle prepare to compete in next month's Olympic Summer Games. Johansson, a graduate of the squadron's sailing school, and Stittle were the guests of honour at the OYS Thursday night as the club raised more than $11,000 for the sailors -- money that will be used to buy a new sail for the upcoming Games. DANIEL HO / SPECIAL TO THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Johansson feels prepared as he sets sail for Beijing By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR This time, Oskar Johansson feels ready. The 31-year-old local sailor, preparing for his second -- and perhaps final -- Olympic Games, is confident that he and partner Kevin Stittle have done everything they could to challenge for a medal in Beijing. They've scouted the Qingdao venue more than any of the competition they'll face at next month's Games. They've planned on how to cope with the possibility of encountering massive collections of algae on the water during their races. And, between the two of them, they've lost more than 30 pounds specifically for the regatta. "Last time, I was awarded my Olympic berth pretty late in the process. I had to piece things together and it was a very exciting time, but I didn't have time to do my research and know exactly what to expect," Johansson said Thursday evening at the Oakville Yacht Squadron (OYS), his childhood club that threw a fundraising night for the two sailors. "I think I sailed that "If the team event a little bit dif- works well and ferently than I the chemistry is would normally sail right, you can a regatta." accomplish a lot Johansson and then-partner John more than you Curtis finished can do on your 15th in the own." Tornado class at the 2004 Games in Oskar Johansson Athens. Johansson joined forces with Stittle the following year, following Curtis' retirement from the sport. The team has enjoyed immediate success, winning the North American champi- onship each of the past two years and claiming silver at the world championships earlier this year. Johansson and Stittle are currently ranked sixth in the world by the International Sailing Federation. Johansson said Stittle's dedication to the sport was a major factor in selecting the Orangeville native as a teammate. This will be Stittle's first Olympic experience, following a couple of near-misses in the past. "Proposing to someone who has already done two Olympic cycles, that says a lot about his dedication. Especially not being able to go to two Olympics, winning trials but missing the standard by one each time, it says a lot about his character," Johansson said. "Even before knowing him, in my mind he was the right choice. I think our results have proven it." Stittle said Johansson's engineering background has been an asset on the water, but that their similar upbringings -- even their experiences playing hockey -- have fostered a compatibility that can be crucial. "We both came from the same line of backgrounds, and that helped a lot with the team," Stittle said. "Oddly enough, I think it was our hockey backgrounds that helped a lot. It was a team sport I'd played in the past, and had I not had those kinds of experiences with teamwork, it might have been harder for me to work as a unit." Johansson played in the Provincial Junior A Hockey League, including a stint with the Oakville Blades, and was considering playing hockey at Queen's University before focusing solely on sailing. "If the team works well and the chemistry is right, you can accomplish a lot more than you can do on your own," Johansson said. See OYS page 71 More of what you LOVE, all your favourite flyers anytime online! Look for these and more great flyers online. Save time, save money. 32" LAST CHANCE TO WIN A SHARP LAST CHANCE TO WIN A SHARP AQUOS 32" LCD TELEVISION. AQUOS 32" LCD TELEVISION. CONTEST ENDS JULY 31 ST 2008. CONTEST ENDS JULY 31 ST ,, 2008. Go to www.flyerland.ca to enter. Contest details on the site.