Winter Olympics: Quota boost for Vancouver hopes

Photo / AP

Winter Olympic quota spots were released yesterday - and should be good news for New Zealand in at least two disciplines.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee are eyeing a team of about 15 athletes travelling to Vancouver for the Games, starting on February 12.

Yesterday's quota confirmation from the International Ski Federation indicates New Zealand will have a competitor in the skier cross discipline in Queenstown's Mitchey Greig, and have a strong chance of securing a third woman in the snowboard halfpipe event.

New Zealand's allocation in snowboarding is two men and two women.

While Julianne Bray, at world No18, seems certain of selection for the 30-strong women's event, there is a tight battle for the second spot between Mt Maunganui's Kendall Brown, who is ranked No30, and Taupo's Rebecca Sinclair, who is 32nd.

However, yesterday's release confirms New Zealand will be the first nation to secure a quota spot in the women's event if another country does not take up its allocation. The chances of that happening are good.

Countries are restricted to a maximum of four in each of the men's and women's events, and that will help bump the New Zealanders up in the final reckoning.

North Shore's James Hamilton, at No38, is best-placed of the New Zealand men for their 40-strong Games competition. He is five places above Ben Stewart, who has the inside running for New Zealand's second spot.

Greig, the world No31-ranked skier cross racer, which comes under the free skiing umbrella, can almost certainly start preparing in earnest for her 35-strong event.

The NZOC selectors, Barry Maister, Simon Wickham, Mike Stanley and Rosemarie Nye, will be making their deliberations this week. The sports were waiting the outcome of the quota allocations before making their nominations.

There is a chance the first batch of Olympians, likely to include cross country, skating, alpine and free skiing, could be named on Friday.