Full Circle

hen people tell you they are “straightforward,” be on your guard because it can sometimes mean a brittle façade that hides an insensitive or aggressive interior. In Avia’s case though, it simply means she does not speak in lies or euphimism. She is well known as the one of the world’s top metre boat sailors and, more than that, a force within the International Class, particularly in terms of the 8-Metres. She’s also the owner of Universal Marina on the River Hamble near Southampton, which is where we have met for a sandwich and a coffee. It’s the 8-Ms we’ve met to discuss, what with the class having its worlds in Cowes this 20-27 July. Now, almost