Terry McLaughlin

Biography

Terry-McLaughlin_1350Olympic silver medallist Terry McLaughlin has been sailing since he was five, born into a family that has been heavily involved in the sport. His father Paul finished fifth at London 1948 and eighth at Helsinki 1952 in the one-person dinghy. His younger brother Frank joined him at Los Angeles 1984 and followed him onto the Olympic Flying Dutchman podium four years later at Seoul 1988. McLaughlin competed at his first world championships in 1977, going on to win the Flying Dutchman world title with Evert Bastet in 1980. He was named to that year’s Olympic team but did not compete in Moscow due to the Canadian boycott. After winning a world bronze medal with Bastet in 1982, the duo claimed Flying Dutchman silver at Los Angeles 1984. In 1983 McLaughlin skippered Canada 1 in the Louis Vuitton Cup, which determined the challenger for that year’s America’s Cup. In 2009, 2011 and 2013 he skippered the Royal Canadian Yacht Club’s team at the New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, winning gold in his last two appearances. The 2013 victory helped earn him Canadian Sailor of the Year honours for the second time in his career.

PERSONAL

Family: Father Paul McLaughlin was a two-time Olympian (1948, 1952) and his role model in sailing… Mother Mary was also a competitive sailor… Younger brother Frank is a three-time Olympian (1984, 1988, 1992) who won bronze at Seoul 1988 in the Flying Dutchman… Older siblings Alix, Tory and Madeleine… Wife Mickey… Sons Dirk, Evert and Lucas… Evert is on the national team in the Laser class and is competing at the 2015 Pan Am Games in the Snipe class… Outside Interests: Enjoys playing hockey and squash… Imports footwear, clothing and leather goods for Dubarry of Ireland… Earned Honours Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Queen’s University in 1979… Odds and Ends: Has a pair of lucky red pants for racing… Favourite motto: “Be prepared”…

NOTABLE INTERNATIONAL RESULTS

OG: 1984 – SILVER (Flying Dutchman); 1980 – DNC

Flying Dutchman WCh: 1984 – participant; 1983 – participant; 1982 – BRONZE; 1981 – 4th; 1980 – GOLD; 1979 – 6th; 1978 – participant; 1977 – participant

Star WCh: 1990 – participant; 1987 – participant

Olympic Highlights

Games Sport Event Finish
1980 Moscow Sailing - -
1984 Los Angeles SailingTwo-Person Centreboard Dinghy - MixedSilver