Yachting: Baker overhauls Finn fleet

By Suzanne McFadden

Ian Baker had the greatest day of his yachting career yesterday beating the world's best Finn sailors in the final Olympic dress rehearsal.

Timaru sailor Baker, who is ranked 19th in the world, scored a win and a third on Sydney Harbour to move up to fourth overall behind leader world champion Matteusz Kusznierewicz of Poland.

Baker wasn't the only New Zealander to find his footing on the third day of the pre-Olympics yesterday - four crews took the gun in perfect Kiwi sailing conditions.

Former world Laser champion Nik Burfoot moved into medal contention with a first and a third.

He is third overall, six points off leader Gustavo Lima of Portugal.

The women's 470 pair of Melinda Henshaw and Jenny Egnot are fourth, after a victory and a fifth.

Chris Dickson, nursing a calf muscle tear, and Jeremy Stephenson got a bullet in the Tornado fleet, to move up to sixth.

But it wasn't all good news - the highly-rated Soling crew of Rod Davis, Don Cowie and Alan Smith finished last in the fleet racing and missed the cut for the matchracing.

New Zealand high performance coach Peter Lester said all of the Kiwi sailors had needed a good day yesterday after their lacklustre start to the regatta.

"The conditions really suited the New Zealanders today. It was very similar to sailing off the East Coast Bays in a moderate souwester."

Lester said Baker had a smile on his face "that would extend all the way home to New Zealand."

Baker led the Finn fleet - world and Olympic champions among them - around the course in the first race of the day.

"I got stuck in at the start and got some good wind shifts. It feels good," he said.

The young 49er crew of Dan Slater and Nathan Handley are holding their own in good company, keeping fifth place overall.

A capsize knocked Abby Mason off the pace yesterday, but she has recovered five places to 14th in the Europe dinghy.

The boardsailors had a lay day yesterday - Barbara Kendall will go into today's races in fourth place with Aaron McIntosh 12th.

Lester said the biggest disappointment was the failure of the Soling crew to qualify for the matchracing. Davis, Cowie and Smith have been coaching the Prada America's Cup team and had no build-up to the regatta.

"It shows that you can't roll in here after working on the America's Cup and expect to do well," Lester said.

"I'm sure they're gutted."