Yachting: Team stacked with medal prospects

By PETER JESSUP

Boardsailors Barbara Kendall and Aaron McIntosh and matchracer Chris Dickson and partner Glen Sowry in the Tornadoes head the medal contenders in the New Zealand yachting team for the Sydney Olympics.

All those chosen were winners in their class at the Olympic trials last month at Eastern Beach, and all are active on the international circuit.

Europe class sailor Sarah Macky, the youngest at 20, won the world youth championships at 17 and has since competed solidly in Europe to confirm her class and her next-best-hope status.

Daniel Slater, aged 23, and Nathan Handley, 26, have put together a three-year campaign proving themselves in the top 10 in the world in the high-speed 49er skiffs.

Seoul Star silver medallists Rod Davis and Don Cowie are joined by matchracer Alan Smith for a tilt in the Soling class.

Sydney 2000 will be Kendall's third Olympics after she won gold at Barcelona and silver in Atlanta.

McIntosh was fourth in Atlanta, but has won two world championships since and was second this year.

Dickson was not sure where he rated in the Olympics as opposed to round-the-world races and the America's Cup, but was pleased and relieved to make the squad in the Tornado class after spending a significant amount of his own money and two-and-a-half years aimed specifically at yesterday's confirmation.

New Zealand had to qualify in the top 17 in the world last year, with Dickson and Sowry needing a top-half finish to convince Yachting New Zealand of their potential.

They had to finish well at the pre-Olympic regatta in Sydney last year and made that with a seventh. Then they had to win the selection trials last month.

In Sydney, Dickson walked to his catamaran on crutches and sailed with a bandaged calf muscle.

"Things can only get better," he said yesterday. "I've learned a lot since then. Go in ranked in the top five or six, go in confident and anything can happen."

Macky has also competed on Sydney Harbour, where the Europes will be sailed, and expressed concern about irregular windshifts as the land surrounding it heated and cooled.

She will compete in Holland, Germany, Denmark and Spain in the coming months before heading back to the Olympic course.

"Nothing beats experience on Sydney Harbour - the Australians have a big advantage there," she said.

But Dickson discounted any advantage. The 10 Tornado races move around, some off Manly and Bondi and some on the harbour.

Competitors in two classes are yet to be confirmed, with the Laser sailor to be named after trials in June and New Zealand yet to confirm a start in the two-man Star class. The last qualifying regatta is in Annapolis, in the United States, next week.

Those confirmed for Sydney 2000:

49er: Daniel Slater and Nathan Handley; 470 women: Melinda Henshaw and Jenny Egnot; 470 men: Simon Cooke and Peter Nicholas; Finn: Clifton Webb; Europe: Sarah Macky; men's Mistral boards: Aaron McIntosh; women's Mistral boards: Barbara Kendall; Soling: Rod Davis, Don Cowie, Alan Smith; Tornado: Chris Dickson, Glen Sowry.