Olympic yachting golden girls Aleh and Powrie take a break...how long will it last?

New Zealand's Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie. Photosport

Could the legendary partnership between Auckland's Olympic yachtie gold medallists Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie be at an end?

Aleh has told Radio Sport she is taking a year off from Olympic 470 class sailing to freshen up, and would like to re-unite with Powrie to have a tilt at the 2020 Japan Games.

But the 30-year-old also accepted that life's twists and turns can deliver surprises.
Aleh has just sailed the Sydney to Hobart race, baby steps in her evolving plan to compete in the Volvo Ocean race.

"I'm really keen to have another (Olympic) go and I'd rather sail with Polly than anyone else at this stage. We know each other so well," said Aleh.

"But I've got to see where she is, where I am, and see what works. Life is always changing."

Alex and the 29-year-old Powrie won the silver medal at the Rio Games, to go with their London gold and a stack of world championship successes.

Aleh said the build up to Rio had been particularly tough. Expectations had been raised by the London gold medal, and they had injury and illness to deal with.

"I can't speak for Polly...but I'm still looking at Japan," she said.

"I've been doing Olympic campaigning for 12 years, for three Games. You get a couple of weeks off at the end of the year, and try to have a day off a week. But your mind is always in that zone.

"I need a year off to recuperate. The basis of an Olympic campaign has to be that you really want to do it. If you are just there to take part you will never win."