Edward Rudloff

Steve Virgen

During the FINA World Masters swimming championships in Riccione,

Italy, Edward Rudloff felt a cold come upon him and he could sense

his strength withering.

At age 81, the Newport Beach resident has found it difficult to

quickly shake off illnesses such as a cold. However, he still found

the motivation to fuel his energy to compete in three events in

Italy.

Rudloff not only competed, he won in the 80-84 age division. He

captured the gold medal in the 50-meter breaststroke, touching the

wall in 48.27 seconds. He also took home a silver in the 200

individual medley (4:05.62) and a bronze in the 200 breaststroke

(4:20.58).

What exactly was Rudloff’s motivation?

“I like to win,” said Rudloff, who returned from Italy on

Wednesday. “I can’t stand it when someone is ahead of me.”

Rudloff has been a successful masters swimmer, representing the

Olympic Club, based in San Francisco. In 1984, swimming in the 60-64

age group, Rudloff won five gold medals at the world masters

championships in New Zealand. He also competed in the world

championships in Japan and Australia, winning two gold medals at each

event.

He’s hoping to fight off his recent illness and get back in the

water to win some more. When he regains his strength, he plans to

continue his regular week of working out at Corona del Mar High. He

swims there up to four times a week.

Rudloff has been a regular in the water since his childhood in San

Francisco. He also played water polo.

In college, he starred at San Jose State. He went there for one

year, but then enlisted in the Army.

He was in India for three years. He came back and picked up where

he left off for the Spartans. He is in the school’s athletic Hall of

Fame.

Rudloff wanted to become a teacher, so he continued his education,

earning a master’s degree and doctorate at Stanford and another

master’s degree in public health at UC Berkeley. Rudloff is fluent in

German and can also speak Spanish and French.

He was a professor at San Jose State and also coached water polo

there before becoming an administrator. He was the program director

of heath education for the UC system before retiring in 1988.

He also worked at Sonoma State and was in charge of campus

development for various facilities and programs. For those efforts,

he was inducted into the Sonoma State Hall of Fame.

“I love to swim,” Rudloff said. “But my main emphasis has been

academics. For awhile there, I was a professional student.”

Aside from academics, Rudloff also excelled in athletics. He

played for the international water polo team in Italy for two years

in the mid-1940s. He also played water polo for the Olympic Club from

1948-51.

He said he is honored to be a part of the Olympic Club, because of

its tradition. The athletic club has been around since 1860.

Though he misses San Francisco, Rudloff said he enjoys Newport

Beach. He plans to continue to swim. In two years, he and, Loralynn,

his wife, will move into their rebuilt beach house. He said he loves

the ocean.