An all round talent from dinghies to offshore yacht racing, fleet to match racing, Christine has demonstrated her skill at a variety of events over the last 12 months, including winning for the second time the women's keelboat event at the ISAF World Sailing Games in July 2002, the first being in 1994.

She raced on Amer Sports Too for the final 2 Legs of the Volvo Ocean Race as tactician with the team utilising her skill for these tactically demanding legs.

On the match racing side, she is currently ranked 26th on the ISAF World Match Race Rankings.

The Achievements of Christine Briand

1st - ISAF World Sailing Games (Women's Keelboat Event sailing a J22), August 2002
4th - Volvo Ocean Race on Amer Sports Too, Leg 9 Göteborg (SWE) to Kiel (GER), June 2002
8th - Volvo Ocean Race on Amer Sports Too - Leg 8 La Rochelle (FRA) to Göteborg (SWE), May 2002
1st - Semaine de la Rochelle (sailing a Surprise - 'Primagaz'), May 2002
1st - Grand Prix du Crouesty (sailing a J/22 - 'Primagaz'), May 2002
7th - Spi Ouest (sailing a J/22 - `Primagaz'), March 2002
7th - ISAF Women's Match Racing World Championships, September 2001 - Grade W

Christine was previously nominated for the ISAF World Sailor of the Year Awards in 1994 and as part of the crew of EF Education in 1997

Name	Christine BRIAND
Date of Birth	21672
Place of Birth	La Rochelle, France
Profession	Skipper and manager of a small company specialising in nautical events
ISAF World Ranking	26 - Women's Match Race Rankings
ISAF World Ranking	Click here to view Christine's Skippers Report
Age started sailing	11
First boat sailed	Optimist
Age started racing	11
First boat raced	Optimist
What inspired you to take up sailing?	My father - he was European Champion, World Champion, sailed at the Olympic Games (Dragon 1968) and so on…
How did you buy your first boat?	My parents bought my first Optimist
Which was your first sailing club?	Société des Régates Rochelaises, France
First Event competed in and Year	French National Optimist Championships 1974
First Event won and Year	French Youth Championships in a 420 1976
Principle achievements	1983 Women's 470 World Champion
Principle achievements	1994 and 2002 ISAF Women's Keelboat World Champion
Principle achievements	1997-98 Whitbread Round the World Race on EF Education
Principle achievements	2002 2 legs on Amer Sports Too in Volvo Ocean Race (see above)
Principle achievements	Many national titles with female or mixed crews, almost always like a skipper
Detail the personal highlights of your sailing career to date	My first youth national title in 420 dinghy, my first world championship title in the 470, my first 'Tour de France à la Voile' as a skipper, and my participation in the Whitbread, which for me were all goals and dreams.
What are your future sailing aspirations?	Olympic preparation in Yngling for Athens and be involved in a great project like the next Volvo.
Briefly state what sailing means to you	It is a fantastic "technology and strategy game". I also like the human relationship with a crew. Sailing is freedom, international friendship and very nice and interesting competition, because sailing is a sport with many, many different faces.
Who has had the greatest impact or inspiration in your sailing career and why?	…I think, it is my father because he gave me the motivation to like sailing, and he was a great champion.
Who do you consider to be your sailing hero?	Paul Elvström
What other sports do you participate in outside of sailing?	Skiing
What other sports do you participate in outside of sailing?	Golf
What other sports do you participate in outside of sailing?	Trekking
What other sports do you participate in outside of sailing?	Swimming
Who do you consider to be the greatest sailor in the World and why?	For me, it was Peter Blake, because he has won almost all the greatest competitions like the Whitbread, America's Cup and so on. And now for me there are a few very good sailors - Russell Coutts, Paul Cayard, Bertrand Pacé, Robert Scheidt, each in their class - but they are not 'the greatest'.
Briefly state what being nominated for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award 2002 means to you	To me, it means being recognised, by the sailing world as one of the best women sailors this year, and for all my past.
If voted as the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2002, briefly say what will this mean to you?	I would be very very proud of this. For me, it is a very big reward to be the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2002. For me, it will be a great and real honor to be recognised by all the sailors as one of the best for this year and as somebody important for the sailing world, including all my past achievements.