Yachting: McIntosh relishing swap from boards to cats

Former world boardsailing champion Aaron McIntosh is feeling rejuvenated by the challenge of mounting an Olympic campaign in a catamaran.

McIntosh, bronze medallist at the 2000 Sydney Games, admits his heart wasn't into continuing his boardsailing career after a decade on the international circuit and three world titles.

"I felt I had the ability, but when your heart's not into something, you may as well just be working," he said.

"The Tornado is a new challenge and I'm throwing everything into it - physically, mentally and financially - to make it happen."

McIntosh, who was a member of the Oracle BMW Racing syndicate at the America's Cup, said the "seed was planted" back in September about switching Olympic classes.

"I was looking for something different and the Tornado seemed like the logical choice. It's fast, high-speed yachting, always exciting," he said.

"Being involved with Oracle took a lot of my time and it wasn't until the end of January that I really started focusing on sailing the boat."

Since then, McIntosh, 31, and crewmate Mark Kennedy, 20, have won the Sail Auckland regatta and come third in the national championships.

Most importantly for the pair, they took out the Olympicsail event off Auckland's North Shore this month.

That victory booked them places in the pre-Olympic regatta in Athens in August and the world championships at Cadiz, Spain, in September. While the event in Greece will give the two Aucklanders a taste of conditions expected at next year's Olympics, the world championships are their major target.

At Cadiz, they will try to qualify New Zealand for next year's Athens Olympics in the Tornado class, with the pair believing a top-15 finish could be enough.

Their European build-up will include the Spa regatta in the Netherlands in May and the European championships in Sardinia in June. New Zealand have a fine record in Olympic Tornado sailing, including Rex Sellars and Chris Timms winning gold in 1984 and silver in 1988. Sellars has been among those McIntosh has been talking to as part of his learning curve.

Another has been Oracle skipper Chris Dickson, who sailed at the Sydney Olympics.

"It's just another yacht race," McIntosh said, "and a lot of the same characteristics as in boardsailing are there.

"But in saying that, there is a great deal to learn on the technical side, and we've had a lot of advice from seasoned Tornado sailors."

McIntosh believed being in the America's Cup had improved his sailing, even though his role with Oracle didn't extend to getting on the race yacht.

"I love sailing and it was a bit frustrating being on the weather team. But it helped on the tactical side of things. The tactical side is a little more complete. I'm looking for smaller gains now."

McIntosh would jump at the chance of being involved in the cup again and the four-year break until the Auld Mug is up for grabs again fits in well with his Olympic ambitions.

"We've got quite a gap so there's enough time to run an Olympic campaign properly. If there should be a position on one of the teams, it's something I'd be really excited about."

- NZPA