KEY POINTS:
Winning titles is fine and certainly welcome, but New Zealand's best sailors have a bigger Olympic picture to consider at next month's world championships in Portugal.
The champs in Cascais double as the Olympic qualifying regatta for Beijing next year. Seventy-five per cent of Olympic spots will be decided in Portugal, where all 11 classes will be contested. New Zealand has entries in all but the 49ers.
The other 25 per cent will come from individual world champs early next year, four of which - both RSX boardsailing events, Tornado and women's Laser Radial - will be sailed at Takapuna between January and March.
But Portugal is where New Zealand wants to make its mark to remove any late pressure. Yachting New Zealand yesterday confirmed a team of 48 sailors, including all nine members of the Olympic squad, some of whom are in strong form. The object is to qualify the country; sorting out who gets to China comes later.
North Shore boardsailor Tom Ashley has won four major events this year - the New Zealand and South American champs, the Princess Sofia regatta in Spain and the Hyeres regatta in France.
He missed the world title last year on a countback, after finishing equal on points with Dutch sailor Casper Bouman. But although he fancies another serious crack at the title, he is also thinking of the pre-Olympic regatta at Qingdao in August.
The winds in Portugal are expected to be moderate, but in China history suggests they will be lighter and shifty.
New Zealand is sending its nine-strong Olympic squad to China to test the waters before possible selection next year.
Ashley said his main objective this year is the pre-Olympic regatta but after his form this year expects another good run at the worlds.
