KEY POINTS:
You would think in a physically demanding sport such as boardsailing there would be no place for lightweights.
But size has proved no obstacle for the North Shore's Kate Ellingham, who despite her diminutive frame, looks to be first in line to inherit veteran Barbara Kendall's throne as
the queen of New Zealand windsurfing.
Having only first stepped on to a windsurfer three years ago, the 19-year-old has made huge advances in the sport during the past couple of years. This week's RS:X World Championships in Takapuna is Ellingham's third worlds. The Auckland teenager spent four months touring Europe last year - her best result being a sixth placing at the Breitling Regatta in Holland.
It appears only a matter of time before Ellingham steps out of Kendall's shadow and becomes New Zealand's top boardsailing prospect.
But despite her exponential rise, you get the feeling things are not happening fast enough as far as Ellingham is concerned.
She wanted to qualify for the Beijing Olympics this year, but those plans were usurped by the return of a certain boardsailing legend with gold-medal pedigree.
When Ellingham first took up windsurfing, Kendall had just given birth to her second child and it was thought the three-time Olympic medallist would not make a comeback.
Ellingham admits to being "a wee bit gutted" when Kendall returned to sailing, but the youngster believes she has benefited hugely from her re-emergence on the scene.
"She's the best person to be going to Beijing; she's so experienced and what she's taught me is incredible.
"If she hadn't come back I don't think I would have learnt so much as quickly as I have."
Growing up in a family of keen sailors, Ellingham has followed the same path as many of New Zealand's top sailors, coming up through the P-class and secondary school competitions before moving on to windsurfing.
Looking at Ellingham's petite frame, it is a sport in which few would pick her to excel. But what she lacks in size, she makes up for in grit and determination.
"When I first started I was only 48 kilos and I was a ballet dancer so I didn't really look like a windsurfer," she said.
"So I had to go to the gym and get shoulders and I put on about five kilos."
She admits her small stature can be a handicap at times, particularly in the stronger winds. But Ellingham is confident that with some adjustments to her technique she can improve her sailing in gusty conditions.
"In the past, I've sort of blamed me not doing so well in the windy conditions on my weight but, in the last month or so, I've realised what I was doing so wrong in the wind and I've kind of got better at it and I've decided it's really just a technique thing."
Ellingham has coped well with the variable conditions at the worlds in Takapuna this week, sealing her place in the gold fleet for the top half of the field.
Ellingham's aim is to finish in the top 16, which will put her in the funding bracket for Yachting New Zealand. "That's really important for me because, at this stage, while I'm carded and I get sports service, I don't get given any money."
Last year, she worked in a bar all summer to pay her way to Europe and Ellingham believes her training suffered. "I was exhausted all the time because I'd work nights and sail during the day."
It will come as some relief then that Yachting NZ are in the process of reviewing their development pathways.
At 40, Kendall appears to have limited years left in the sport and Yachting NZ Olympic director Rod Davis is aware of the importance of having talent coming through.
"I don't think Barbara's going to be our girl at the next Olympics, although she could surprise me again - you never know," he said.
"We're just beginning to address how to best develop the likes of Kate and all the other girls and the next tier down below the Olympic squad. It'll be a combination of funding so they can go overseas and compete and get more international experience, and then coaching on top of that."
Yachting NZ overhauled its structures after a disappointing Olympics campaign in 2004 when New Zealand failed to collect a sailing medal since 1976.
Davis acknowledged the organisation is only just addressing shortcomings with development.
"What we did is we put a huge emphasis on getting back on track with our Olympic programme and in that emphasis we probably let slip the next tier down."
* The regatta finishes tomorrow.
