Junior champion of the Finn

madforsailing talks to Finn European Junior Champion Chris Brittle

Earlier this week Chris Brittle finished 10th overall and first junior at the Finn Europeanson Lake Garda - a respectable achievement considering he has only been sailing in the class for a little over a year.

The Europeans were important for Chris as a top 15 finish meant an increase in his funding level, the scale used by the RYA to determine the amount of money given to sailors for their Olympic campaigns. Chris, like many of the young Olympic hopefuls, needs this money to support his sailing while he undertakes a three year Civil Engineering course at Southampton University.

Chris didn't follow the usual youth track of learning in Optimists. Instead he started as a crew for his father in Mirrors and Albacores. "I enjoyed sailing with my dad, but at twelve I decided to buy a Laser". This was a fairly young age to start sailing a Laser, however Chris was already too big for anything smaller. Chris was over 90Kgs even when he finished sailing the Laser and is now a towering 6ft 5in tall. Chris' most notable achievement in the Laser was third in the Youth Nationals - the qualifying event for the ISAF Youth Worlds.

Although currently living with his parents in Leicester, Chris is spending most of his free time sailing from Hayling Island. At the moment most of the top British Finn sailors are sailing together at Hayling Island Sailing Club. This training has been a major contributing factor in Chris' rapid progression in the Finn, with speed and strong winds now two of Chris's strongest points. However, when asked about his thoughts regarding the Olympics he is very quick to point out that he still has a number of major weaknesses, in particular tactics and starting.

Chris will be working closely with the Finn class coach, Dave Howlett, over the summer to try and work through these weaknesses ready for the World Championships in Boston this September. With the wind usually above force three there at that time of year the conditions will be well suited to Chris, giving him every chance of again finishing in the top 15.

At one point Chris was planning to crew for Iain Percy in a Star to campaign for the Athens Olympics. However, this has now fallen through leaving Chris to focus on a Finn campaign instead. With Andrew (Bart) Simpson, second overall at the Finn Europeans, sailing well Chris will certainly have his work cut out for him to get the Finns slot for Athens. However, looking at his current ability, Chris should be well positioned to challenge Bart for the top spot over the coming couple of years.