Yachting: Best mates battle for Olympics

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

It has the sprinkling of suspense that the Olympics are made of - three sailors battling for one place in Sydney, with a solitary point between them before the final race today.

Best mates Peter Fox and Rod Dawson are tied at the top of the fleet in New Zealand's Olympic Laser dinghy trials, with former world champion Nik Burfoot just one point behind.

It all comes down to one race on the Waitemata Harbour today - unless the wind gods play in Fox's favour.

If the breeze is too strong to send the dinghies out, as race organisers fear, then Fox will win the regatta on countback.

After winning both races in strong winds and choppy seas yesterday, Fox has three victories to Dawson's two.

The Laser berth for the last Olympics was decided by countback - Team New Zealand tactician Hamish Pepper edged out Dan Slater, who bounced back to win the 49er skiff spot for those Games.

While 33-year-old Fox admits it would not be the best way to finish the trials, he would more than happily accept first prize if it means a ticket to Sydney.

He was third in the 96 trials and has spent the past four years working to rectify that.

For the past year he has teamed up with Dawson to train towards this regatta, the pair racing both days of the weekend in Auckland, then spending three weekdays together on the water. "I haven't worked a real job for months," Fox laughed last night. "We've spent so many hours together just working for this.

"Now it's come right down to the wire. With Nik in there as well, it's just down to who gets it right on the last day.

"This is really hard on the nerves."

Fox, who has spent most of his sailing life on Lake Taupo, is now living on Auckland's North Shore, but moved to a motel on the city side for the regatta - so he could get a good night's sleep.

The reason: Fox is a new father, his son is only five weeks old.

"I'm not a very supportive one at the moment. But I just have to get this over and done with - it's been four years coming."

Today's winner will not win automatic selection for Sydney. Yachting New Zealand's selectors, Tom Schnackenberg, Tom Dodson and Don Cowie, will make their decision on who will be our best chance at the Olympics.

The Olympics – a Herald series

Official Sydney 2000 web site