Yachting: Big guns fight it out for Olympic berth

The battle of the big guns continues in the Mistral board class at the New Zealand Olympic yachting trials at Eastern Beach in Auckland.

Only two points separate Aaron McIntosh and Jon-Paul Tobin after day three. McIntosh has had three wins and a second just before the halfway mark.

However, with Tobin's scorecard now reading 2, 2, 2, 1, the competition is rapidly turning into a matchrace.

After a frustratingly wind-less weekend, the weather gods smiled yesterday: it was blustery and overcast with winds gusting up to 25 to 30 knots at midday for the start of the first race on the Mistral course.

Barbara Kendall was struggling to keep up with the men in yesterday's heavy conditions, but is easily maintaining her lead among the women.

Sarah Macky showed her style in the fresher breezes, taking line honours in the single race for the Europe class.

Macky caught the all-important first shift, and in combination with mistakes made by others on the course, the win was simply a case of defending the lead.

Sharon Ferris followed Macky over the line and Abby Mason had to be happy with third.

Wellington's Stuart Bannatyne is giving the Finn fleet a run for their money, winning two races of the four sailed so far.

A second yesterday leaves him on seven points, four ahead of Timaru's Ian Baker. Hamish Pepper has slipped to third.

Chris Dickson sailing in the Tornado catamaran with his new crew Glen Sowry had to be satisfied with a second yesterday, after being beaten around the track by renowned heavy-weather sailors Simon Manning and Andy Robertson.

Manning and Dickson are now neck and neck on points.