Oakville Newspapers

Oakville Beaver, p. 41

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Parkhill finishes 23rd in Olympic sailing Oakville sailor proud he `fought to the bitter end' against world's best after slow start By Greg Mercer Metroland Media Group 41 | Thursday, August 25, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Lee Parkhill's road to the Rio Olympics probably started somewhere on all those red-eyed flights back to Canada while studying at university. The Oakville native who made his Olympic debut at the 2016 Summer Games, was a student when his passion for competitive sailing started to trump all else. While studying for his bachelor of commerce degree at the University of Guelph, he quit partying and began spending all of his weekends sailing. In the lead up to the London Games, which he had hoped to qualify for, the 27-year-old spent one winter flying back and forth between Florida and Toronto, trying to get as much time on the water as he could. He'd study all week in Guelph, then hop a plane and be sailing by Friday, and come home on Sunday night in time for class. "I slowed down the partying a lot, not that I was a big partier. I found myself leaving class and going to the gym rather than hanging out with friends," he said. "I made sure I got my studies done so I could go sailing on the weekend. I don't regret a single party that I missed. Being here outweighs all that." Parkhill, whose highlight in Rio was a fourthplace finish in a preliminary round race in the men's Laser category, started the Olympic regatta ranked 43rd but climbed 20 spots by the end of competition. "I told myself to fight to the bitter end, and try to move up. I did that, and that's something to be proud of," he said. "That gives me some satisfaction, knowing I could be there with the best in the world." Parkhill has been around sailing his whole life. His father still sails recreationally and his brother was a competitive sailor. As a boy, his parents would take him out on Lake Ontario to watch his brother, Brett, race. He began taking lessons at age eight, and made the Royal Canadian Yacht Club his training base. "At some point, something clicked and I didn't want to be in that boat watching anymore. I wanted to be out there racing," he said. "But it wasn't until university that I saw the older guys going to the Olympics that I realized this was something that would be very cool." After failing to qualify for London, it's been a slow and steady progression toward becoming an Olympian. Last summer, Parkhill won bronze medal at the Pan Am Games, then took fifth at the Rio 2016 test event. This June, he came fourth at the World Cup event in Weymouth and Portland. Oakville's Lee Parkhill, pictured with his wife Alexandra and daughter Emma Rose at a preOlympic fundraising event, finished 23rd in the laser sailing competition in Rio. | photo by Franki Ikeman -- Special to the Oakville Beaver Parkhill says his run in competitive sailing will probably wind down after the Olympics. He said he'd like to get into coaching, and find a career that will keep him closer to home for his four-month-old daughter, Emma Rose. "I think it's time I get a real job," he said. "But there's a part of me that will sail for a long time. But, hopefully, I have some knowledge I can pass down to the next generation." Matheson earns second Olympic bronze Continued from p.40 by striking first. They added another early in the second half and if not for a post and a crossbar, it could have been a rout. Instead, the Brazilians cut the lead to one with 10 minutes remaining and Canada withstood the home side's attack. Though it was the first medal for most of the Canadian players, they were motivated by the team's veterans. "Just playing for them, we wanted them to get that back-to-back podium," Quinn said. "I know a couple players, it was their last game ­ hopefully not Diana." Matheson has no plans to hang up the cleats just yet. She's taking a week off and then returning to the Washington Spirit, her National Women's Soccer League team. Matheson said as long as she remains healthy, she'll be continue to play for the national team, and wait for the next wave of players inspired by its Olympic medal wins. See our interactive online edition @ insideHALTON.com/printeditions ! W E N L A K E O N T A R I O COMPLETELY UPDATED PHOTOGRAPHY & SUGGESTED ROUTES Fraser, K4 crew finish eighth in Olympic final Oakville's KC Fraser and the Canadian women's K4 crew reached the Olympic final, where they finished eighth. The crew, which included Fraser, Genevieve Orton, Andreanne Langlois and Emilie Fournel had a time of 1:37.733 in Saturday's final in Rio. Hungary won the gold in 1:31.482, Germany took the silver (1:32.383) and Belarus earned the bronze (1:33.908) The crew had paddled together less than half a dozen times before the final. The Canadians finished second in their semifinal Friday morning, in a dead heat with Great Britain. Both crews clocked a time of 1:36.254. Fraser and Orton finished 13th in the women's Olympic K2. Oakville Men's Non-Contact Hockey Halton/ Burlington Halton &Men's Burlington Halton Men's Recreational Recreational Hockey League Hockey League Oldtimers (27+, average age 38) Masters (40+, average age 46) Classics (47+, average age 54) LAKE ONTARIO & THE THOUSAND ISLANDS FULL ULL DETAIL DETAILS DE TAILS ILS O ON N SURVEYOR I. Raft Narrows HUCKLEBERRY I. 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