Kiwi Gold Sailing para-sailing members Rick Dodson (left), Andrew May (centre) and Craig Sharp (right). Photo / Nick Reed
The Kiwi Gold Sailing combination of Rick Dodson, Chris Sharp and Andrew May were among three New Zealand crews to qualify for next year's Rio Paralympics.
The trio were the best placed of the New Zealand crews at the 2015 Para World Sailing Championships in Melbourne, finishing eighth overall in
the 18-strong Sonar class to qualify the boat. The world championships was the last opportunity for nations to qualify boats for Rio.
Kiwi Gold Sailing secured four top-five finishes in the 11-race series and were only one point off seventh overall.
"Today we ticked the box to qualify the Sonar class for the Paralympics in Rio next year," said Dodson, who sailed in Team New Zealand's successful America's Cup campaigns in 1995 and 2000 before multiple sclerosis attacked his body. "We still require selection to compete in Rio by Yachting New Zealand and Paralympic NZ selectors.
"The team had a great regatta mixing it with legends of Paralympic sailing and feel chuffed we were capable of tussling it out amongst the best in the world.
