BRYAN Nicholas

Was Eddie the Eagle the last true Olympic amateur? 

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Not in the same class, but hurdling many of the same challenges was Nick Bryan’s 1988 Olympic Finn challenge for Hong Kong. Total financial contribution = 1 HSBC lifejacket.

Given that he had not raced a yacht until he was 26, why did he dream he could qualify for the Olympics and participate for HK?

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We need to climb back to 1967, when his father, Doug Bryan, left the airforce and joined Cathay Pacific (HK). He and CX friends helped set up SCYC. They found a fleet of six, old Finns in Macau and did a deal to get them back to SCYC. Nick found it increasingly difficult to let go of the helm. But his one and only race, involved him commanding his brother to join him as ballast, as Nick was so skinny!

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In the interim, having joined HSBC to get to HK. The finger of fate pointed him to the Middle East for 5 years. Lots of rugby ( playing for Qatar, Oman, UAE) but no yachting!

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In 1981, Nick was posted to the Philippines. At last a two day weekend to accommodate rugby ( he played rugby for the Philippines) and yachting. 

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A tired fleet of six wooden ( ex Olympic class) Dragons was the only fleet of note. With his partner Jeff, they figured out how to go from last to first and won the national Champs, 3 years later, in 1984.

The same year Nick was (finally) posted to HK. At 30 years old he gave up rugby (injuries). It had been announced that the Flying Fifteen’s World Champs would be hosted by HK, in 1986. The decision was easy. 

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The UK team dominated the series with many past masters. With one exception. Nick found himself in 2nd position in the last race. . A failed jybe saw him finish 10th. But the spark had been lit. Why not have a crack at the olympics in 2+ years!

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His father thought him mad, HK yachting federation thought it unlikely he would qualify. He was 33 years old. There were no Finns in HK hence no tuning partners. Fortunately the Finn association ran a few global Finn clinics. 

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Nick signed up for the first in Majorca, along side the Turkish team. Followed by Brisbane, which then hosted the Pacific Finn champs. Things were slowly improving but he needed measuring. UK, the ‘home of Finns’, offered two national champs. In the first, Nick came 23rd, second last. Post clinics, a year later, he came a credible 10th. HK said ‘go’. 

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Seriously, In the 6th race of the pre-olympics. He was yet to beat another Finn round ANY buoy. A call home, advised that a similar result in the 7th race, would see Nick, realistically, pack up his campaign. But, beating an ex world champ, around the whole course, meant he was committed to hit the start line. 

Two years later, 5 borrowed Finns. 10 kg heavier and wearing an HSBC life jacket. Incredibly, he found himself sitting on the Seoul Olympics 1988 start line. For the greatest series of his life. or the most traumatic.

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The Herald Tribune described the series as the ‘WORST WEATHER IN OLYMPIC HISTORY. Nick hung in hard, scoring 27th out of 33 ( many smaller countries failed to turn up). With a single best place of 18th, top HK boat and a BIG smile. The HK Eagle had flown.