KEY POINTS:
While his Olympic berth is already sealed, next week's RS:X World Championships in Takapuna won't be any less significant for the North Shore's Tom Ashley.
With just seven months left until the Beijing Games the windsurfing world champs represent the final chance for many sailors to qualify for the Olympics.
But after an impressive 2007, which included gold at the Olympic pre-regatta in Qingdao and a win in the national champs, Ashley already has the business of qualifying out of the way.
While he admits it takes a great deal of pressure off his shoulders, the 23-year-old is determined to produce a good result.
"It means I can focus on the Olympics and not have to worry too much about my performance here, but I'm still really keen to do a good job," the three-time youth world champion said.
The champs truly will be a home regatta for Ashley, who is a member of the Takapuna Boating Club which hosts the event. He lives just down the road in Devonport and does the bulk of his training on the North Shore.
Ashley believes his local knowledge should give him an edge in the regatta. "I've been sailing here five times a week for the last three years so I think I've got a pretty good handle on the conditions."
But given his main focus this year is on the Olympics, Ashley's training has been centred on preparing for the lighter conditions expected in Qingdao later this year.
Typically there is a lot more wind in Takapuna, but Ashley has had some solid training in conditions more typical of what is expected at the world championships.
"It's not ideal - my training is focused on light wind just because that's what we expect in Qingdao, but having said that the Olympics is one race every four years and you want to be successful in other races as well.
"I've still managed to get some good training in for this regatta."
With the results of these worlds set to determine the fate of many sailors' Olympic dreams, the regatta is expected to be one of the most competitive in years.
Ashley believes several sailors have the ability to take out the title. "I think there's kind of 10 guys who are all pretty handy - they're at the top of most international regattas."
One of Ashley's main rivals - Brazil's Ricardo Santos - also happens to be one of his close friends. Santos, the defending world champion in the class, has been training with Ashley for several years.
The young New Zealander travels to Brazil every year and spends at least two months training with the Brazilian and Spanish teams.
Santos said it did not take long for a friendship to develop.
"He speaks Portuguese perfect - he has been part of my training group since 2002 so we are good friends."
But while they have become great mates, Santos said the pair have also developed a fierce rivalry. "He is really, really competitive - last year Tom won almost all of the events and the only three he didn't win, I won.
"We are very good friends but in the competition we forget this and we go hard."
Having secured his place at the Olympics with a gold medal at the last world championships in Portugal six months ago, Santos is also without the added pressure of needing to qualify for Beijing.
But he said holding the world title came with different pressures.
"I'm the world champion so everybody's looking at me and trying to beat me."
