Christine Johnston believes she can become a world champion, but it is going to cost her.

The Brighton-based windsurfer finished third in the European Championships in France earlier this month and believes she can win the British Championships at Hove this week.

Johnson then goes for the World Championships in Sardinia in October when she hopes to improve on her third place in Germany last year.

The 29-year-old is confident she can become the best in the world in the Formula class. There is no doubting her ability. She has been competing since she was 15 and took part in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

What could shatter her hopes are financial restraints.

Like many athletes in minority sports in this country, she only gets significant financial support once every four years for the Olympics It means she is unable to devote sufficent time to training and has to pay her own travel and expenses for major competitions.

Johnston is studying full-time for a masters degree in sports psychology at Chichester College which has exaggerated the financial pressures.

She said: "I haven't had much time to train recently because I have been studying but I hope to go full time in September ready for the World Championships.

"I want to throw everything at it because that's the only way I can win. Only the world No.1 can afford to go full-time, so that is what I'm looking to become. It will involve going into my overdraft and borrowing more money from my dad, who has helped a lot. But I need the time and training to do it, which I haven't had before."

Countries such as Poland treat their windsurfers like superstars.The top two have full time sponsorship so, not surprisingly, Poland has the current world No.1, Dororta Staszewska, and four more surfers in the top ten.

Johnston said: "Here, there is not much coverage and you struggle for sponsors and support, although I have been helped a lot by my manufacturers.

"I use Gaastra sails, Starboards, Neil Pryde wet suits and Deboichet fins, who all give me equipment."

Johnston changed to Formula Windsurfing after the Sydney Olympics where she finished 16th out of 28 in the Mistral class. She will not compete in Athens next year because she has decided to concentrate on the Formula class which is not an Olympic event.

Despite getting Lottery funding before the last Olympics, Johnston is not tempted back to the Olympic form of windsurfing.

She said: "I'm more compatible to Formula Windsurfing and that is what I am concentrating on. You have to be a different size and shape to do it because the sail is a lot bigger and the board is a lot smaller than the ones used in the Olympics.

"The problem is you have to win all the events to make it worthwhile. I got 450 Euros for coming third at the European Championships, which is just a token gesture."

Johnston won the first race of the European Championships held in Douarnenez, Brittany, two weeks ago.

She is now focused on winning the British Championships at Hove Lagoon, which forms part of the National Series, from May 24 to 26 (11am start).

Johnston moved to Brighton from Hampshire after the Olympics three years ago and has been impressed by the facilities.

She trains at Dragons Gymnasium and Heath Club in Hove and can often be seen sailing off Brighton beach.

She said: "The facilities in Brighton are really good and it is such a good place to come and surf.

"I'm looking to do well in the British. It will be tough but hopefully I will have the support of the local people and I can do well."