Europe class sailor Sarah Macky produced the top performance of the New Zealand contingent at a world ranking regatta in France yesterday by winning all three of her races.
Macky's feat at Hyeres propelled her from 23rd to second overall after five races.
Boardsailor Tom Ashley continued his consistent form by moving
to the top of his class with two third placings and a win. He has finished in the top five in each of his five races so far this week.
Laser sailor Hamish Pepper dropped back from leading his event to fifth overall after placings of fifth and fourth yesterday.
Macky, Ashley and Pepper have all been nominated for the Olympic Games in Athens. In the men's 470, Simon Cooke and Alastair Gair recorded their second win of the regatta to be fourth overall after six races. Olympic nominees Andrew Brown and Jamie Hunt were 24th overall.
In the women's 470, where Olympic nomination is still open, Shelley Hesson and Linda Dickson were eighth after five races, and Melinda Henshaw and Jan Shearer were 18th.
America's Cup skipper Dean Barker headed the New Zealand challenge in the Finn class, climbing to 11th after collecting a fifth and a third. Compatriots Peter Fox and Clifton Webb were 22nd and 43rd respectively after five races.
In the Yngling keelboat class, Alesha Thorpe, Karen Lambert and Michelle Vinsen were ninth overall after six races, and Sharon Ferris, Joanna White and Kylie Jameson were 14th.
The New Zealand Finn and Yngling sailors are using the regatta as a build-up to their Olympic selection trials next month.
At the Star world championships in Italy, where Rohan Lord and Andrew Taylor are trying to qualify New Zealand for the Olympics, racing was called off because of a lack of wind.
- NZPA
