Chris Lindsay from Carrickfergus on Belfast Lough has been awarded the Sportmaker Technical Official of the Year title through Sport Northern Ireland.

Since July 2019, Chris has officiated at World Championships across various classes and countries, with the highlight of his career to date, his appointment as an International Technical Official to the forthcoming Tokyo Olympic Games. He also makes himself available for grassroots events and the training of other officials in the UK and Ireland.

Through its 2020 SportMaker Awards Sport Northern Ireland has given the sporting community an opportunity to say "thank you" to local coaches, officials, volunteers, and projects. The Awards recognise the outstanding contribution they have made over the previous 12 months and the role they play in encouraging people to benefit from the power of sport.

While most sports ceased structured activity in March 2020 due to COVID-19, Sport Northern Ireland acknowledges that many SportMakers continued to play a vital role in supporting and developing others and have learned more about the innovative and creative methods which were used to do so.

RYA Northern Ireland Chief Operating Office Richard Honeyford commented " Chris is approachable to sailors and officials alike, making it easy to discuss the rules of sailing with him. It belies the depth of knowledge and experience he has, and it is this that makes him stand out".