Chris was a top-level rower until seduced by sailing while watching New Zealand win the America’s Cup in 1995. In the build-up to the 2003 Team New Zealand challenge he got his chance when he was hired as grinder. He sailed with Emirates Team New Zealand’s 2007 challenge in Valencia and was back for the Louis VuittonTrophy regattas. Chris is now deeply into the team’s multihull programme and the big grinders from the monohull era will come into their own when the AC72 starts racing.