First boat sailed and where? | An Optimist in Rhu Marina. |
Who got you into sailing? | My dad |
Favourite boat? | I loved my Optimist and never wanted to move into another class! Not sure it’s my favourite though, perhaps a foiling moth. |
Biggest influence in your career to date? | My parents and Kirsty Bonar. |
My worst moment in sailing? | Either losing the 2000 Optimist Europeans due to illegally being team raced by 3 Italians or losing the 420 Youth trials in 2004. |
My best moment in sailing? | Winning a silver medal at the 2009 470 World Championships with Stuart Bithell after just a few weeks sailing together. |
Best sailing venue in the UK? | Pwllheli, Wales. |
Best sailing venue in the World? | Lake Garda |
Most annoying rule in the sailing rule book? | Sculling, part of 42. |
If you weren’t a professional sailor what else would you be? | I think working for Greenpeace trying to prevent the Japanese slaughtering literally tens of thousands of whales every single year. |
How do you progress from a club sailor to an Olympic class sailor? | GOALS, GOALS, GOALS, Use stepping stones to set small realistic goals. Set it-achieve it. |
What are your greatest passions outside of sailing? | Spending as much time in Scotland as my schedule allows with my dog and friends. My favourite place is Tiree so I love spending time there. Also surfing, biking, snowboarding as well as guitar and whisky! |
Has injury ever prevented you from sailing? | Almost at the 470 worlds 2009, a back injury almost ended our event. |
Most expensive sailing accident? | I think taking up the sport!!! A good accident though. |
Football club you support? | Hate the sport, Scotland if I had to choose! |
Do you actively go and see them? | Nope....never |
Do you follow any other sports? | Downhill mountain biking because it is epic. Also tennis. |
Any heroes? | Roger Federer and Sam Hill. |
What other sports do you play? | I like all racket sports, windsurfing, surfing, climbing, downhill mountain biking, snowboarding. |
What would you love to do but never have the time or money for it? | Make a documentary of our sailing career that featured all the day to day activity and excitement of the sport. |
Worst habit? | Saying ‘you know……?’ |
What word or phrase most depicts your personality? | Excitable |
If you were a pantomime character – who would it be? | Aslan |
Do you have any lucky charms or rituals? | A lucky charm of a wee green man. |
What’s your greatest fear or phobia? | Irreversible global warming effects on the planet. |
If you had a theme song, what would it be? | ‘Don’t Cry Out’ by the Shiny Toy Guns |
Favourite reality show? | Don’t know, I don’t have a TV! |
Name 3 things that are always in your shopping trolley? | Coconut, whisky and Highland Spring water |
What was the last book you read? | Papillon |
What makes you angry? | Ignorance |
Dream holiday? | Maldives on a boat and surfing holiday. |
What better about football than sailing? | I’m not sure there’s anything… I would say money but it turns them all loopy at 20 years old! |
Where do you keep your medals? | I keep World Championship medals and World Cup medals hanging down from the mantel piece. |