Olympics: Close battle for Laser berth

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

Ten years may separate them, but there is not even a boat length between Rod Dawson and Simon Small - two Kiwi sailors battling for the Laser dinghy spot in Sydney.

After two days of racing in the Laser trials in Auckland, 32-year-old Dawson and former world youth champion Small, aged 22, are tied at the top of the leaderboard. Former world champion Nik Burfoot is 11 points adrift in third place. The winner of the trial, ending on Wednesday, is likely to get the nod for the Olympics.

Meanwhile, at an Olympic warm-up regatta in Kiel, New Zealanders have again started strongly.

World boardsailing champion Barbara Kendall, and 470 men Simon Cooke and Peter Nicholas led their fleets, while Europe sailor Sarah Macky and 470 women Melinda Henshaw and Jenny Egnot were second.

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