Yachting: Macky heads to Athens with mixed feelings

1.00pm

New Zealand Olympic sailor Sarah Macky heads to Athens this week with mixed feelings after finishing ninth overall in the world Europe class championship in Italy.

A second, a third and a fourth placing were Macky's best results during the 12-race regatta, which finished at Cagliari, on the island of Sardinia, at the weekend.

"This was definitely not what I had hoped for, but ninth at the world championships is still a good result," she said.

"I just know I can do a lot better, so it is disappointing, but it's not too bad because the Olympics next month is what really counts."

The event was won by defending world champion Siren Sundby, who crossed first in five of the 11 races she sailed in.

The Norwegian is hot favourite for the Olympic title, having been virtually unbeatable in the single-handed dinghy class over the past 12 months.

Macky, who will be competing in her second Olympics after coming ninth in Sydney, said she felt things often didn't go her way over the past week.

"In a lot of the races, I got great starts, but I picked the wrong way on the upwind leg, missed the wind shift and ended up back in the fleet," she said.

"Often the people who got bad starts would then be forced to tack off, and end up going the right way and pass me."

Macky said one aspect of her sailing she was pleased with was an improvement in her downwind performance.

The regatta was also the first she had competed in this year with strong winds, so she was able to test her boat speed and equipment against her competitors.

The 24-year-old Aucklander is due back at the New Zealand yachting team's base in Greece on Friday.

She will move with her sailing team-mates into the Olympic village on August 1.

- NZPA