Former grammar school boy aims to turn on the Styles for Britain at Olympia

Working towards a dream of gold medal at Sydney can mean a life of sun, sea, sand and... solitude.

    The image is sparkling seas and chic harbours but Hugh Styles explains the life of a top-class sailor is far from glamourous.
    The reality of chasing gold at the Sydney Olymplics can mean driving to regattas all over Europe, camping and living on baked beans...

    PICTURE this. Sun glinting off the blue waters of the harbour, white-sailed boats skilfully manoeuvring around distant buoys.
    The roar of the crowd as you step up to claim glory for Great Britain...
    For top sailor Hugh Styles the dream of snatching Olympic success is not a far-fetched fantasy, but a very real possibility.
    At Easter, Hugh, 25, and sailing partner Adam West, 26, will take part in the British Olympic team trials.
    They will be competing in the Tornado class, sailing a two-handed catamaran.
    Only one pair, helmsman and crew, will be picked to go for British gold in Sydney in the autumn of 2000.
    It will be the biggest moment in Hugh's career.
    Hugh said: "Whatever I do, I put 100 per cent into it. Sailing is my life and I can't imagine doing anything else - this is it."

    From hobby to career, the journey Hugh, a former Dover Grammar School pupil, has made is punctuated with success after success, in national, European and international competition.
    One of Hugh and Adam's most recent wins was the Italian national championships in September.

But it wasn't always that way.

Age six, Hugh launched into the water in his first boat, an Optimist.

Hugh laughs when he looks back on his early years as a young sailor.

He said: "I can't remember what I was thinking at the time. But I'm almost as tall as the mast now."

Hugh took part in his first solo competition as a 10-year-old.

It was the National Schools Sailing Association Inland Championships. He finished last - in every race.

But even then the signs were that Hugh had what it takes to reach the top.

He said: "I came last in absolutely everything, but I finished every race. The judges gave me a prize for determination."

Hugh had a certain amount of salty water in his veins at birth; a family legacy, you could say. The Styles family, dad Martyn, mum Diane, sister Sally, who live in Dover Road, Sandwich, are also sailing fanatics.

MARTYN, a former teacher at Dover Boys' Grammar School and now Commodore of the Downs Sailing Club, Walmer, still competes at national and European level.

Sally, 21, sails the Europe, a single-handed dinghy.

She hopes to set her own course for international glory in women's competition.

Diane, a teacher at Dover Girls' Grammar School, is also a sailor, but now sticks mainly to the shore as the family's No1 supporter.

Hugh devoted most of his life to sailing from an early age giving up other sports to pursue one dream.

But with both parents teaching, the importance of a good education was also impressed on Hugh.

He has a masters degree in mechanical engineering from Portsmouth University and now works for British Aerospace.

Hugh has been lucky enough to receive support for his sailing from all directions, through school, university, work and friends at the Downs Sailing Club.

But it is Martyn who is Hugh's mentor and guide.

He said: "Whenever I run into a problem, Dad's always there with sound advice, saying 'steady, don't rush into things."

But pressure during competition still rests heavily on Hugh's shoulders.

He said: "When Adam and I are out on the water, we both have a say in what we should do.

"But I'm at the helm, so ultimately it's my call.

"If I make a mistake, the buck stops with me."

Hugh has forsaken much of the usual social life of a 25-year-old to dedicate his time to sailing. At this level dedication involves travelling around the world to compete in contests and regattas.

It may sound glamorous, but it usually means driving for hours, camping in a tent and eating baked beans.

HE said: "My life revolves around sailing. I don't have much time to catch up with friends even when I am home because of training commitments.

"The regattas are fun, but also very competitive.

"I call home a lot to let them know how I'm getting on."

Hugh said his sailing life doesn't leave him enough time to pursue a serious relationship.

With a twinkle in his eye, Hugh said: "There aren't any sailing groupies as such, but if anyone wants to apply..."