Landlocked countries like the Czech Republic are not where you would expect to find a sailing craze.

But according to sailing coach David Křížek, "Czechs have got it bad — I mean good. They have really gone nuts for sailing."

So has Křížek, who could be viewed as the emissary of Czech sailing. He coached fellow Czech Lenka Šmídová, winner of a silver medal for sailing in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Šmídová's victory was the Czech Republic's first Olympic medal ever in a sailing event.

Křížek is more than just a coach. He is an extreme sailor, participating in unusual endurance events, hoping to gain enough corporate sponsorship to make his dream come true: becoming the first Czech to sail a large craft — the 49er — in the Olympics.

A relatively new class of sailing skiff, the 16-foot 49er flies off the water at unprecedented speeds. The two-person crew hangs suspended from wires on the mast as their bodies follow the massive sails.

"It's the Formula 1 of sailing," said Křížek, comparing it to the leading auto racing category known for its breakneck speeds.

To get to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Křížek wants to prove to potential sponsors that he has what it takes, so he plans to enter the feared Mini Transat race scheduled for September 2007 — an endurance contest from France to Brazil in a 21-foot, mini-650 boat.

Křížek will spend 26 days alone in the mini-650 with no satellite phone or other electronic communication equipment. He wants to be the first Czech to enter the race that has attracted die-hard sailors for the past two decades.

Due to its extreme nature, several Mini Transat participants have died during the race. So why does Křížek want to risk his life for an event most people outside of elite sailing circles have never even heard of?

"It's a big project for a small amount of money," he said. "And when I gain attention for this race, I can make it into the 49er."

Křížek has already gained attention from Czech journalists who, he said, remain particularly interested in the tribulations he will endure on the Atlantic journey.

"I have to go to the hospital for lessons in how to sleep a maximum of 20 minutes at a time, how to give myself medical treatment if I get hurt, and how to eat powdered food," he explained.

He intends to bring his boat to Wenceslas Square for promotional purposes, hoping it will help him raise the 9 million Kč ($362,319) he needs to train for the race.

"I talked to the owner [Ivo Lukačovič] of Seznam [the most popular Czech Internet search engine], who is a big fan of my last long-distance race, and he said he would promote the race for free on his site," said Křížek.

Lukačovič had admired Křížek's race from Spain to Martinique in a 6-meter rubber catamaran in 2000, which received great publicity from the Czech media.

Communism to championship

Křížek grew up in Plzeň, near a number of lakes, and his father had been passionate about small boats. He taught Křížek everything he knew.

Křížek had already been racing within the Czech Republic when the end of communism meant he could try his skills much further afoot.

"In 1990, I trained in Switzerland with a Swiss team," he said. "My parents paid for the trip. I slept in a car and ate bread and cheese. I had nothing, but the Swiss did everything they could to help me."

Nobody was happier than the Swiss sailors when, five years later, Křížek's Fireball-class boat finished third in the prestigious Eurocup, he said. It became the first time a sailor from a former Eastern bloc country had placed in the race.

Numerous Czech and European regatta victories followed. Starting in 1998, Křížek tried to raise money from private sponsors for his Athens Olympic bid, but was unsuccessful. He nonetheless sailed in a number of international regattas, with sponsors such as Quicksilver and IPS, a construction firm.

Křížek now hopes the recent Czech enthusiasm for sailing will draw more corporate sponsors into his orbit.

"It started before Šmídová, really in 2000, when so many people started going to Croatia to sail," he said. This year 80,000 Czechs will head to Croatia for sailing holidays, up from 40,000 two years ago, he said.

Václav Zmolík, spokesman for the Czech Sailing Association, said Czech sailors have become "equal in ability to their counterparts in the West, even in countries that are not landlocked." He pointed out that Michal Maier will become the first Czech to compete in the America's Cup this year, one of sailing's most famous races.

On the nonprofessional side, Křížek pointed out that a new, wealthy class of Czechs has started buying fast boats, but which they feel unsure of sailing.

"That helps me, because they need coaches, and the more I coach them, the better chance I might have of attracting sponsorship," he said.

Last month, Křížek, two other professional sailors and three corporate adventurers raced in the Czech in-shore sailing regatta in Croatia. The five-year-old contest, with a hefty cash prize, attracted 55 boats. Křížek's took third place.

The director of Rodop, a real estate development firm, had been one of the boat's sponsors. "Rodop's director, Martin Kulík, pays the best squash player in the country to play with him, and the best sailors to be on his boat," said Křížek.

Rodop puts about 1.5 million Kč annually into sponsorship of sailing events, Kulík said.

"I like sailing, and in the Czech Republic it is difficult to get sponsorship because there are other sports that are better known," said Kulík, referring to soccer and hockey. "Besides, it appeals to the upscale audience we are trying to reach."

Patrik Hes, a longtime Czech sailor and entrepreneur who has participated in numerous regattas, says he sees more Czech companies becoming excited about the commercial potential of sailing.

"Sailing is one of the fastest-growing sports in the Czech Republic, thanks to top managers who appreciate its high-end target market," said Hes.

He believes this growth will help Křížek's Olympic efforts, once companies see they can make a good investment by supporting him.

"Křížek has a unique blend of great sailing skills and determination that he has proven by winning many championships," said Hes. "He is not a dreamer; he's a doer."