Mark Howard - a madforsailing profile

Portsmouth.

What’s your date of birth?
18th September 1982.

What age did you start sailing?
When I was two months old.

Which sailing club do you belong to?
Stokes Bay at Lee-On-Solent.

What was your first regatta win?
RYA Southern Region under 16 Topper Champion.

What’s your biggest regatta/championship win?
Laser Radial National Champion 1998.

Any other notable regatta wins you’d like to mention?
Silver Medal in the Youth European Championships 2000.

Do you like school/college?
Yes.

What is your best subject?
Sport.

What other sports do you do outside sailing?
Football, windsurfing and surfing.

Any other hobbies or interests?
Gym, skating and cycling.

What inspired you to take up sailing?
My Dad who was a successful Cherub sailor.

Which class did you first race in?
Topper.

Have you ever used a coach?
Yes.

Who were they?
Dave Meller and his brother Matt, Chris Gowers, Paul Goodison and Mark Littlejohn.

How much time do you spend on the water each week?
Average of four days.

Do you have a sponsor, and if so, who?
My Dad and the Youth Development Squad this year.

What’s your most memorable moment in sailing?
Winning the Volvo ISAF Youth World Sailing trials in October 2000.

What’s your biggest goal in sailing?
To be in the 2004 Olympics.

Who are your sailing heroes and why?
Ben Ainslie and Iain Percy, I try to put myself in their shoes when I’m racing and think what they would do.

What is the best excuse you’ve ever made for a poor performance in a race?
Not feeling well.

What is the funniest thing you have seen whilst out sailing?
My Dad's boat was a committee vessel during a round the world race, but the other yachts were expecting right of way.

Where is your favorite sailing venue?
Warnemunde in the South of France.

Who’s the best sailor in Britain?
Ben Ainslie.

Of the world's sailors, who would you most like to sail with?
Pete Goss.

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