Christian Birrell interview at the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show
by Mark Jardine 15 Mar 2016 15:20 GMT
6 March 2016
Christian Birrell on the Allen stand at the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show © Mark Jardine
We talked to Fireball, GP14 & Merlin Rocket champion Christian Birrell about his early sailing in Mirrors & Comets, his campaigns in 470s, GP14s, Fireballs & Merlin Rockets, switching between crewing and helming, his partnership with Allen Brothers, what he does to relax, and what he has lined up for the 2016 season.
Mark Jardine: You started off in the Comets wasn't it, one of your early classes back in 2002 was it?
Christian Birrell: Yes, you must have gone pretty deep into the results to find that one. I actually started in Mirrors originally, I think we had our first nationals in '99 with my brother. We were very lucky to grow up in a good generation of Mirror sailors, with Stuart Bithell, Jonny McGovern and Ian Dobson all living within 20 miles of us. We used to race against each other on small puddles in the North West every weekend at clubs like Winsford, Hollingworth and Burwain. Yes, the Comet Nationals were at Winsford in 2002 and apparently I did do it!
MJ: We've got results on the site going back a long way! So that was a real core group of sailors who got together and really are now dominating at the top end of dinghy sailing in the UK. Do you think it was like a golden era at the club?
CB: Yes, undoubtedly the reason that the whole group has become so good; you've got Stuart who's obviously got a silver medal at the Olympics, multiple world champion Ian Dobson and Jonny McGovern who went on to become a great 420 and then 470 sailor, all sailing against each other twice a week - we were very lucky to be pushed on by such a good group of sailors. At that time, we were all from pretty humble backgrounds, so it was a case of fighting it out at Sunday morning club racing and analysing our own sailing, rather than being coached every weekend. I think ultimately that's probably what made that group so good – we all learnt to race on our own, before we entered the robotic squad systems – that's a message I always pass on to young guys that I coach now – go and learn to race and sail the boat on your own, then worry about coaching!
MJ: You sail multiple classes which are strong in the UK, such as the Fireballs, the Merlin Rockets, the GP14s both as helm and crew. How do you find it switching between the classes, and how much preparation do you have to do before a championship in a particular class?
CB: I suppose up until a couple years ago, I really was a crew, I crewed all the way through Mirrors and 420s and then five years of 470s, so it wasn't until I stopped 470 sailing at the start of 2012 where I switched to helming. I'm probably still a crew at heart! In terms of the preparation, I really don't like turning up to events unless I have given myself the best shot of doing well, so I try and avoid doing events that I don't feel I am properly prepared for. Like most of us, I have a lot less time these days, so I'm now a bit more selective about the events that I do.
MJ: Do you think your time as a crew has made you a better helm, understanding what goes on in the front of the boat? Do you think that really helps with the process of switching to being a helm?
CB: Yes, definitely. It probably also makes me even less understanding when Sam gets something wrong though! That being said, I think I do have a very good understanding of what makes Sam's life easier in the front, having done an almost identical job crewing 420s and 470s and I think that definitely does help. Incidentally, I was only saying last night that I'd really like to go back and do some crewing now I have a much better understanding of the back of the boat. If you look at all the very best crews, they are almost all very good helms in their own right – it works both ways – a top crew needs to know how it feels on the helm when you are getting it right or wrong and equally a helm need to appreciate what is and isn't achievable from the crew – having done both is a big advantage.
MJ: With Sam Breary at the 2015 Fireball Worlds you lost the title (to Tom Gillard & Richard Anderton) you won in 2014 and you're concentrating on the Fireball for 2016. What do you have lined up and how do you think you're going to get your title back?
CB: It's been a fun battle with Tom over the last few years. In 2013 he just beat us at the Worlds, and we just beat him at the Nationals. We were pretty annoyed with ourselves for throwing the worlds away in 2013, with a couple of very stupid mistakes on the last day. We did win the worlds in Thailand in 2014, but being honest, it was a bit of a soft year, with most of the best UK boats not going. Pwllheli was really the one we wanted to win – there was over 100 boats and the event pulled in a lot of good sailors from other classes – probably the best entry list for a National Class event for some years. Tom/Rich, James Peters and Fynn Sterritt, DJ Edwards and Vyv Townsend and ourselves had a brilliant battle all week, which Tom came out on top of again – so he remains the one to beat in the Fireball, something that hopefully we can do in Garda this year! Tom and Rich are exceptionally good Fireball sailor but we've had some really good battles over the last few years - so a bit of unfinished business! Since Pwllheli, Sam's been pretty much full time 470 sailing, so I think he'll probably come back into the Fireball as a stronger sailor. It's going to be a good year - I'm looking forward to racing everyone again.
MJ: Talking of the kit, you've been partnered with Allen now for some time for all of your hardware on the boats, how does that help during a championship week?
CB: You just get absolutely flawless kit from them. I've never had a breakage, which is fundamentally the most important thing. It's regatta ruining when you go to these sorts of events, you've done all the prep you want to, you go out on day one in 20 knots and you blow up a mainsheet block - that's your regatta over. That's something that has just never happened to us since we've used Allen kit, so we're very lucky in that respect.
Allen are also at the forefront of technology, they are the guys that are out there talking to the sailors, developing new kit. We've had products where we've gone to them and said it doesn't quite work for us' and they come up with a new product for us that does work – they want to listen to the sailors. I think it's been a good partnership for both of us over the last couple of years.
MJ: Going back to your crewing, you were sailing with Stuart Bithell. How did you find it sailing with someone who is right up on the Olympic level and an Olympic medalist? Do you think that improves your sailing? I know that you've grown up with him, but seeing his progress through the British Sailing Team.
CB: You can't be writing down that I've learned anything from him – in fact, I like to say that sailing with me was a big contribution to him winning a silver medal!
Stuart and I did do a lot of sailing together, and being really good mates, we had a huge amount of fun. He is of course one example of a great sailor I have learnt from, but the success of my sailing has come from all the people I've sailed with – probably learning the most from my years of 470 sailing with Matt Mee and Jonny McGovern – both exceptionally good sailors.
MJ: When you're not sailing, what do you do to relax?
CB: I work, so in theory, sailing is what I do to relax! The last two or three years have been a little bit of a switch in that I now have a proper job in the city, so that takes up a huge amount of my time. It just means I need to be a bit more selective and a bit more focused in the way I do my sailing. There's a group of us sailors that are trying to get good at golf. We're not making much progress, but that's what we're trying to do.
MJ: Lastly, what have you got lined up for the 2016 season?
CB: A couple of things; Fireballs with the Europeans at Lake Garda in July - that's going to be a real target event for us. I'm also doing the J/70 series this year with Russell Peters, which will be interesting. I would really like to do some Merlin sailing, but haven't yet managed to organise myself for that. Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell and I have a team racing team as well, so we are trying to crack that part of the sport, but you'll find us deep in the silver fleet if you ever look at any results!
MJ: Best of luck for your 2016 sailing and very good to speak to you, thank you.
CB: Thanks!