New Zealand's top Olympic class sailors will experience world-class competition in their own backyard in this week's Sail Auckland regatta.
The event, which starts at the Kohimarama Yacht Club today and runs until Sunday, was last year elevated to ISAF grade one status and now attracts a host of internationalstars.
Competitors from Germany, Holland, Greece, Malaysia, Korea and Australia, among others, will be competing in classes including the RS:X, Laser, Laser Radial, 420, 470, 29er, 49er, Tornado and 2.4R.
The most competitive fleet looks to be the men's RS:X, where Olympic gold medallist Tom Ashley will be making his return after taking a year away from the sport.
Ashley will battle local rival and veteran boardsailor JP Tobin, and a handful of top-class international competitors - including Dutchman Dorian Rijsselberghe, who won last week's OCR World Cup in Miami, and three of the top five place-getters at last year's World Championships.
Alongside the top international names in Auckland for the grade one event, a strong pool of young local sailors will be competing this week, showcasing New Zealand's healthy stocks in the Olympic classes.
Young guns Peter Burling, a Beijing Olympian, and Blair Tuke are the star attraction in the 49er fleet.
The pair, who have teamed up for the past 18 months, are fresh home from a month-long campaign in the Bahamas and US, where they racked up some impressive results.
Tuke said it was important they competed in their home regatta as they look to help boost the level of up and coming competitors.
"We're just doing it more to help the local boats and try to get a better fleet in New Zealand. To get a strong fleet in your own country really helps with your training and can be really beneficial," he said.
Tuke said their performances over the past month had confirmed they were on the right track as they chased Olympic selection in 2012.
The men's Laser fleet is also looking strong, with newly-crowned national champion Andrew Murdoch expecting a tough battle against Mike Bullot, Andrew Maloney and Sam Meech.
SAIL AUCKLAND
ISAF Grade 1 Olympic class regatta
* Today-Sunday
* Kohimarama Yacht Club, Auckland
* Competing classes include RS:X, Laser, Laser Radial, 420, 470, 29er, 49er, Tornado and 2.4R
