KEY POINTS:
Two years ago Aaron McIntosh set down the goal of winning the 2008 tornado world championships but a string of setbacks has since forced the former windsurfing champion to reassess that objective.
Having only been sailing with current partner Mark Kennedy for three months, McIntosh now has slightly more modest goals for the regatta which begins off Takapuna on Monday, but the lure of a third Olympic Games still drives the 36-year-old.
"My initial goal was to win these world champs but I know the reality of that is slim," he said.
"But if we have a good regatta and sail well, we have every chance of qualifying the nation."
McIntosh originally teamed up with fellow Olympic boardsailing medallist Bruce Kendall in the tornado in 2005 with the view to competing in Beijing. The pair were initially part of the Yachting New Zealand Olympic team which afforded them a certain amount of funding. But a string of indifferent performances in major regattas in 2006 saw the pair slip outside the funding bracket, effectively ending their campaign.
"The financial reality of competing at this level is just too much - you can spend in excess of $250,000 a year," said McIntosh.
Keen for another crack, the Sydney 2000 bronze medallist joined Mark Kennedy in a last ditch attempt to secure an Olympic berth for New Zealand. Kendall has since teamed up with Blair Tuke for the world championships.
Though the idea of teaming up with Kennedy was conceived around 10 months ago, the pair have been sailing together for only three months. McIntosh admits their hastily put together campaign is not an ideal build-up to the championships but he is confident they can put in a good showing.
"We're focused more on the simple aspects - good starts, clean air, good boat speed and a good mental state. With that, who knows what can come out of it?"
There are just four berths in the tornado class remaining at the Olympic Games - New Zealand will be battling it out with 10 other nations for those positions. At last week's Sail Auckland regatta only one crew from a nation yet to qualify for the Games finished ahead of McIntosh and Kennedy, who were 13th overall.
McIntosh said the result gave the pair confidence they can do it, but next week will be a whole other ball game.
"We're under no illusions as to what it's going to take to qualify the nation and there's a lot of competition out there."
If the pair do qualify the boat they would face the tougher challenge of convincing Yachting New Zealand they are worthy of a spot at Beijing.
YNZ's criteria for Olympic nomination is much more stringent than any other sport - athletes must prove they are capable of winning a medal at the Games.
"Should we qualify the nation I'm sure we'll have to do further qualification to satisfy the selectors that we're of the level required to go to the Olympics," McIntosh said.
Switching to multihull sailing five years ago, McIntosh was part of the team responsible for bringing the tornado world champs to the North Shore.
He said having the regatta in his own back yard has logistical and financial advantages. However, given the calibre of the 51-strong fleet, McIntosh doesn't believe their local knowledge will give them much of a competitive edge.
"These guys sail in a different venue around the world every week so they pick it up very, very quickly."
Current world number one and Athens silver medallists Darren Bundock and Glen Ashby of Australia are the favourites to pick up a sixth world title at the regatta. The pair took out Sail Auckland last week and Bundock is well aware they have a target on their back but he said they aren't feeling any extra pressure.
"We've won the last four ISAF grade one events and I think everyone's targeted us as the ones to beat. I don't really think it adds any pressure on us, there's 10 nations still trying to qualify for the Olympics, so they're the ones that have really got the pressure."
LEADING CONTENDERS
* Darren Bundock and Glen Ashby (Australia)
Currently number one in the ISAF rankings, Bundock and Ashby already have five world titles to their names.
* Roman Hagara and Hans-Peter Steinacher (Austria)
Reigning Olympic champions, this pair have topped the podium at the past two Olympics. The duo also won last year's pre-Olympic regatta in Qingdao.
* Fernando Echavarri and Anton Paz (Spain)
The Spanish pair are the defending world champions after taking out the title in Cascais, Portugal last year.
* Carolijn Brouwer and Sebastien Godefroid (Belgium)
Silver medallists at the 2007 World Champs.
