PORTLAND youngster Adam Greaves had an incredible opportunity when he travelled to Rio to assist the British Sailing Team.

Greaves has devoted many hours to volunteering at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy and helping other young people to develop their skills.

The opportunity arose after he gave support to the British Sonar Team while they trained and tuned their boat in Portland Harbour.

Greaves’ contribution was so valued that after the third day, he was asked if his passport was up to date and subsequently invited to join the Team in Rio at very short notice.

He said of the invitation: “I was ecstatic and so happy to have been offered the opportunity. It was also my first time ever on a plane.

“I had sailed to France before but that is as ‘abroad’ as I had ever been. I obviously said yes and started to prepare everything.”

While in Rio, his role included sailing as part of a tuning crew on another Sonar, gathering tactical course information and evaluating boat handling.

Once there, Greaves said: “The humidity hit me like a wall. I’d never felt anything like it. It was a whole experience of ‘firsts’ and new exciting things to overcome and discover.

“It was great to be training hard, it was a place and situation I had always dreamed of, I was loving every minute.

“When we got on to the water, it was obvious it wasn’t of the best quality but the British Sailing Team have strict procedures that have to be undertaken when coming off the water.

“The schedule for most days was breakfast, gym, which was amazing, if a little warm afterwards, lunch, sail, dinner. I was literally living the dream!”

An unusual highlight for Greaves was a tropical storm which he said: “was like a big warm shower. This unfortunately created slight issues trying to get back to the hotel, mainly due to floods and road blockages.

“We had to walk and help each other around and over obstacles.

“We turned it into a fun situation and it was strangely, a very good team building exercise, something I will never forget.

“Other highlights included sailing past Sugar Loaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer.”

He enjoyed his time there and would: “love to go back and do a similar thing or in fact, go anywhere and do the same, it was amazing.”

Greaves said of his plans for 2016: “I would like to continue as much as possible, my work with the British Sonar Team and continue to participate in yacht and dinghy racing most nights.

“I also hope to go to University in September to study Sport and Exercise Science. I will work at the Andrew Simpson Sailing Centre where my journey stated 10 years ago, on that sail for a fiver trip that changed my life and has allowed me to do things I never knew possible.

“I am forever grateful for that opportunity and those I have been given since. This experience out in Rio has made it all worthwhile!”