Boardsailor Barbara Kendall is the first New Zealand sailor to book a ticket to the Athens Olympics after winning silver at the world championships in Spain yesterday.
Kendall finished a disappointing 27th in the 11th and final race, ending the regatta just one point behind Israel's Lee Korsitz, who won gold.
Korsitz
finished with 55 points, Kendall 56, and Frenchwoman Faustine Merret took bronze with 63.
"In all honesty I was a little bit disappointed with today's result," Kendall said.
She qualified New Zealand for an Olympic spot in the women's Mistral class when she won the world championships in Thailand in December.
To confirm a place in the Olympic team, she had to finish in the top five in Spain and hope no other New Zealander finished in the top 10.
The other New Zealanders in the class, Julie Worth, Sheena McKinnon and Anita Purdie, finished 30th, 40th and 52nd.
In the men's Mistral class, Jon-Paul Tobin just missed out on winning New Zealand's Olympic spot, finishing seventh.
As in the women's mistral, New Zealand had also qualified for an Olympic spot in the men's class after Ashley Thomas finished 10th in last year's world championships.
However, Ashley could manage only 33rd in Spain. James Wells finished 21st overall and Matthew McCormick 61st.
Yachting New Zealand will hold trials in January to determine which sailor will represent the country.
Trials will also be held in the men's 470 class and the women's Europe class, which have also qualified.
In the Star class, Rohan Lord and Andrew Taylor finished 44th in a fleet of 83.
The Finn, 49ers, Tornado, Laser and 470 classes continue today.
* Cameron Appleton finished third in the opening race of the world Etchell championships off Greenwich, Connecticut.
The seven-race event has attracted 95 starters, including Stars and Stripes boss Dennis Conner and skipper Ken Read. Race two is today.
