John Charles MILLEN

John Millen and Frank McLaughlin were childhood friends who learned to sail together, but it was not until 1985 that they paired up in the Flying Dutchman class for international competition. By then McLaughlin had already attended the 1984 Summer Olympics, while Millen had been the International 14 class World Champion in 1981. After placing second at the 1985 European Championships, they came in third at the 1986 World Championships and Goodwill Games before finishing first at the 1987 Canadian Olympic trials, winning seven of the nine races. Although they slipped to fifth at the 1988 World Championships, they managed to capture bronze at that year’s Summer Games. They were fourth after the sixth, and penultimate, event in the tournament, but reached the podium by winning the final race while the team above them, from New Zealand, dropped down two spots following a 10th-place finish. The duo made one more Olympic appearance, ninth at the 1992 Games, before McLaughlin retired from active competition to pursue a career in law. Millen, as of 2013, continues to compete internationally for Canada.